Dream comes through for Tommy Larkins’ pair of Colm Flynn and Ronan Murphy

The long serving Tommy Larkins player said at a county final media briefing last week that it was a dream come true to be preparing for their big tussle with champions Loughrea on Sunday.

“It’s a dream come through in a lot of ways. Ever since I was playing U-8’s or U-10’s for Tommy Larkins it’s what you dream of. I’m definitely one of the older members of the squad, I’ve seen plenty of the other side of things over the years. It’s absolutely a dream come through to put a few performances together and get over the quarter-final mark and now be in a county final, we are soaking it in,” he said.

For Flynn, the fact that his club last appeared in a Senior Hurling Championship final 55 years ago is something he was not fully aware of until recently.

“It’s funny the numbers that come out, again I’ve been hurling for Tommies for so long, I wouldn’t have known that. I wouldn’t have put that number on it, I always heard about the 1971 team. It’s really only since those games have finished that I have taken stock of how big it was and how important it was for the club. They’re incredible numbers, there's one more game to go to make it really hit home.”

The areas of Woodford and Ballinakill are full of Tommy Larkins colours this week and, according to Flynn, talking hurling during county final week is unavoidable.

“It’s incredible, it’s only after the games you realise when you meet people who have previously been involved with the club. There’s been a great buzz around home, the flags and the bunting are out, everyone is enjoying it. It’s the topic of conversation when you pop to the shop or meet the neighbours.”

Flynn was previously part of the Galway senior hurling squad and finds it difficult to pinpoint one particular reason behind Tommy Larkins’ run to the county final.

“It’s hard to put your finger on any one thing, I’m 20 years now with the senior squad. You would be wondering how you can improve each year, we always felt we were close the last four or five years. There was only a puck of the ball in it on the last few occasions. We knew we only needed to add one or two little bits. We got a few young lads coming through, which put a push on lads that were stalwarts on the team. It is the culmination of the whole effort being put in by the club,” added Flynn.

Tommy Larkins captain Ronan Murphy said it is a special feeling to be leading his club into a county final. Murphy has been one of the standout performers in the Galway championship over the last two seasons.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t, this is what you dream of and we just took our chances, we have a great opportunity to push on even more. We won’t be looking too far ahead, it’s a very good Loughrea team we are playing against. They’re going for three-in-a-row and rightfully so because they have an outstanding team and management team behind them. It’s exciting times in Woodford, we won’t look past that as we are just looking for a performance,” said Murphy.

Jason Flynn has been one of the players to stand up for the east Galway club on their run to the county final and that comes as no surprise to Murphy, who describes the recently retired Galway hurler as one of their leaders.

“Jayo is our leader, he’s just a savage hurler and has an unbelievable pair of wrists on him. Every opportunity we can, we just give him the ball, he’s one of our leaders and we will need him again the next day

“He’s been around the camp this year, he stepped away from Galway this year, he hasn’t missed any trainings. We all look up to him in Tommy Larkins,” concluded Murphy.