Tailteann Cup draw brings new focus for Carlow
Eoghan Ruth rises highest to catch a kickout over Dessie Reynolds from Longford during the Division 4 Final at Croke Park Photo: Pat Ahern
It isn’t something the general public might think about but for one Carlow footballer, the gap between the Leinster Championship defeat to Wicklow on April 12 and the timing of the Tailteann Cup draw over two weeks later left the team in somewhat of a limbo.
After a short break, the players did go back training but they weren’t quite sure what they were preparing for. That is until the draw took place on April 27 which gave Carlow a home fixture against Antrim.
“The Wicklow game was obviously a downer,” agreed Eoghan Ruth.
“It was a case of picking yourself back up in a sense but when you are training and you don’t know the draw, I always find it is never too-focussed. Maybe not too-focussed is the wrong word but it is never what you want where you are training and just getting through it,” he articulated.
The Éire Óg man explains that when the players know what it is up next then they can fully concentrate on the job in hand.
“You hear the draw and you know where it is. You hadn’t known when it would be. Now that we know it is Antrim, we know it is Sunday and you can really focus on it.”
Ruth speculates on how Sunday’s opposition will be looking at the Tailteann draw. Antrim, who were beaten by Derry in the Ulster Championship (2-23 to 1-13), had a slow start to their season.
“They had got their league off to a shocking start after plying their trade in Division 3 for a while. They are going to remember that we beat them once and they will want to turn the tables. It is a nice draw, in a sense, for them.”
Having won promotion from Division 4 Carlow have an air of expectation floating around. Not just outside the group but inside as well. Ruth says the squad have to handle this extra bit of pressure.
“If we want to be where we want to be, we have to be able to pull these performances out when we are fancied. Maybe, we are too used to being the underdog. We always have to battle that. Now that we are a division three side next year and they are Division 4 we are going to have to get used to the title of favourites and start to perform,” he says.
It is understating it to say Carlow finished the league well where no player could be certain of a place and, overall, 27 players were used in the competition. Ruth says he fully expects more to be used in the Tailteann Cup.
“This time of year, there has not been much rain. The ground has really hardened. Some lads come into different types of form. You really feel lads are crying out for the hard ground and you see them motoring. I would say, it will be the best horse will jump the fence again and there will be a lot of lads with their hands up looking to get in,” he speculates.
Colm Hulton is set to serve a two match suspension and will miss the opening game against Antrim and the next game in the Tailteann competition.
Clare v Offaly, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chísóg, 4pm
Wexford v Limerick, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 6pm
SUNDAY 10 MAY
Sligo v Tipperary, Markievicz Park, 12.45pm
Carlow v Antrim, Netwatch Cullen Park, 1.30pm
Laois v Wicklow, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 2pm
Waterford v London, Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field, 2pm
Fermanagh v Longford, Brewster Park, 3pm
