"Portarlington are strong but we will be ready for them"
Rathvilly players and management are chomping at the bit ahead of their clash with Portarlington.
Kevin Byrne, the Rathvilly manager, doesn’t need to be told his club’s record in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship is not good.
In 2022, they were well beaten by Naomh Martin in Dunleer and two years ago, St Mary’s of Ardee won by 2-9 to 0-8. Both of them were first round away games.
Now the Carlow champions have been handed a teak-tough first round test against Portarlington. The Laois champions have won five out of the last six county titles seeing off the challenge of Courtwood by 1-19 to 0-8 in the final this year.
Kevin Byrne, the Rathvilly manager, has a fair idea of what lies ahead for the Carlow champions this year.
“Could we have got a harder draw? I don’t know. Maybe away to a Dublin team? They are strong. They are targeting Leinster. It is always easier when you are going for back-to-back or three-in-a-row. Whatever? I suppose you set your sights a bit higher,” he says.
The Rathvilly man admits that, in the past, the club have found it hard to get ready for Leinster.
“Every year, you are going back to the drawing board. You are looking for a county title. We have never done back to back. It has always been the aim but maybe when we have got there we have reached our goal. Maybe the hunger drops off a bit. When you have back to backs or three-in-a-row you can look a bit higher,” he suggests.
This time, Byrne suggests this year could be different.
“Our focus at the start of the year was to win a county championship. To be fair we were back training on the Wednesday after the county final in preparation for this.
“We knew we had three weeks to get ready for them. We are going well. Attitude is good. A home draw is always good. Two years ago, we travelled up to Louth. You couldn’t ask for more than a home draw. Portarlington are strong but we will be ready for them,” he promises.
The Rathvilly spokesman is happy with the four week break since the county final.
“It has given us a chance to regroup and go for a run in Leinster. I suppose coming up to the championship it was all football with lads putting rugby and soccer to one side. Since the championship was over, lads have got back playing rugby and soccer,” he says.
He says the squad are ambitious this year.
“We have given them that bit of freedom. It has loosened it up a small bit. There is an appetite to come back and perform. It was saturated with football before. That break after the county final has been a huge help. We got lads fit, no injuries and we are looking forward to a home game,” says the Rathvilly manager.
