Saturday evening will be an important one in the history of the Ring Club as they take to the field for their first ever game in the senior hurling championship.
Having won the intermediate grade late last year, Ring will be the Only Gaeltacht Club in the whole of Ireland playing both Senior Hurling and Football in their county in 2009.
Naturally, as a small club and having just come up to senior for the first time, and having no household hurling names to pick from, they will be one of the favourites to make the drop down. But be guaranteed that they won’t do so without putting up a very good fight. For what ring have is a group of players who will give it their all in the blue and gold shirt.
Players like Mike Tobin, Liam and Seamus Ó Lionáin, Shane Kelly, Padraig and Noel O’Murchadha, Tadhg O h’Uallachain, Darach Breathnach, Cillian Ó Murchadha Cian Ó Conchúir, Seán Ó hArtaigh and Paddy Ó Catháin in goal, will all give it 100% in every game.
Lismore have not won a Senior Hurling Championship since the early part of the last decade and many feel for a club with the talent at their disposal that’s not good enough.
Many of their big name players need no introduction. Dan Shanahan will cause any team problems when on form, as will other former inter-county players Dave Bennett and Brendan Landers.
Maurice Shanahan will be expected to feature big time, along with the likes of John Heneghan, the Howards, the Prendergasts and Shane Heaphy.
A number of players that won back to back All-Ireland Colleges finals with Blackwater Community School in 2007 and ’08 as well as those that reached the semi-final of this year’s Dr Harty Cup are also likely to appear at some stage for the Cathedral Town side.
