One step beyond for Tooreen duo

Two of Tooreen’s most experienced players are relishing playing in their fourth All-Ireland intermediate semi-final in a row.

Goalkeeper Bobby Douglas and midfielder Daniel Huane want to go one step further this year.

Having won Connacht titles in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Blue Devils finally got over the hump last year, when they defeated Down champions Liatrom Fontenoys in the All-Ireland semi-final. However, they were cruelly undone in January’s final against Limerick’s Monaleen in Croke Park.

Ray Larkin’s men beat fierce rivals Ballyhaunis in the county, and then won their fourth Connacht title in a row by beating Galway’s Ballinderreen in the provincial final, just like 2017.

Douglas believes that Ballinderreen gave them a great challenge.

“You could see from Ballinderreen that they respected us a little bit more than they did the first day, they had a bit more done on us. They tried to stop us at source, they got an excellent start by going four points up but we never panicked and we stayed composed,” Douglas the Western People. “I think this year, not having the London game hurt us at the start of the Connacht final, because that game always had us well versed.

Tooreen will now play Cork’s Castlelyons in the All-Ireland semi-final and Huane knows the threat that they will bring.

“We have watched back one or two of the games. They do have some real quality there, we’re letting the stats lads do a lot of that, and we’ll take the messages that they give but they have some real quality players,” Huane said.

Douglas believes no matter how many Connacht titles you win, it’s still very special.

“We don’t take anything for granted, we knew how hard it was going to be this year, there was kind of a sense that people are waiting for us to be beat a little bit. People aren’t willing us to be beat, but people are thinking that we mightn’t be winning for too much longer,” he said.

“We always kept our belief ourselves and it’s very satisfying when you work hard throughout the year and get one step closer to where you want to be. Celebrations were as heightened as ever!” Huane believes it was crucial to get that semi-final monkey off their backs last year.

“We’d fallen at that a couple of times, so to get Croke Park was absolutely class. Words can’t describe how special that was to run out with your club, but the one last hurdle is to win it out, it’s the ultimate goal,” Huane said.

“It’s dream stuff, you hear people saying we’re mad to be going out in the cold but to be hurling this time of year is what you dream of. The last couple of years that we’ve had have been unbelievable. It’s not normal for a club, the ultimate goal is to go one further than last year and until we do that, I don’t think anybody will feel fully happy.”