Abbeyleix captain Oisin Carroll is hoping for back-to-back successes after lifting the Premier Intermediate trophy last year.
If successful, it would complete a remarkable achievement that hasn’t been managed in more than half a century.
Cullohill won Junior A in 1953, Intermediate in 1954 Senior in 1955. Camross repeated that trio from 1957 to 1959.
But other than that, we can’t find any other team that has gone from winning the lower tier to appearing in the final of the SHC.
Oisin said: “I wouldn’t say we were expecting it now (a final place), wanted to try go all the way.
“We knew coming up it would be tough but there’s a lot of young lads after coming through and we said we’d take a skelp of whoever came our way” said Carroll.
“There’s a great buzz in the town now, all the flags and bunting are out. It’s great to have the minors there as well, and it’s the first time that the minor final is on before the senior as well. It’ll give us a boost going in.
“We’ve a fierce young team, there’s only a couple of us older lads slogging away, it’s mainly the younger lads now with the pace and legs that are getting us over the line.”
Abbeyleix’s younger panel members are no strangers to winning, and Carroll says that played a vital role in their win over Rathdowney-Errill.
“Being nine up, we thought we should have seen it out and we didn’t. I was disheartened after conceding the goal but I went into the dressing and looking around at the young lads, they had no fear.
“I knew looking around that we were going to win that match. We came out in extra-time and we still had loads of legs, loads of running and loads of workrate so it’s just a joy to play with lads like that, they’re full of energy and super to look at.
“A couple of us older lads were more nervous than them. They’re transitioning from winning everything around them underage, they’re able to find something when they need it.”
As Abbeyleix continue to get huge numbers at training Carroll had good words to say for the squad members from the intermediate and juniors teams that continue to put in the work.
“It’d have been easy for them after being knocked out in the quarter finals to hang up the boots for the year but they’re keeping things ticking. If you can’t play 15 on 15 in training you’re struggling, but we’re getting 30 or 40 in the field every night and morale is high”, he said.
“We’re a unit and everyone is contributing in some way and we’re a good team together.”
Camross have got the better of Abbeyleix three times this year, but the full-back reckons his side are due a win.
“We’re after getting a few runs at them, but they’re after turning us over three times so we do owe them one.
“It’s going to be a tough match, we know that. They’re after getting the better of us three times and we know each other inside out so hopefully we get this one right now.”
SEE ALSO – Abbeyleix manager PJ Peacock: “Team driven teams are what win county finals”
