Delight in Ringtown ranks after belated intermediate success

As Ringtown players, mentors and supporters celebrated on the hallowed turf of TEG Cusack Park after yesterday’s opening game of a hurling final double-header, the manager and top scorer from the new Westmeath intermediate champions took time to talk very briefly to the media.

Nigel Mannion was still proudly wearing the green and gold bainisteoir’s bib, and the Offaly native was full of praise for his side, a mixture of youth and experience.

“These boys have been through the mill after being in three or four county finals in the last five years, and being beaten in last year’s final. We got together early this year and we got a good team spirit going from early in the year. A lot of these boys are young and they have so much hurling ability,” he stated.

With many Gaels’ choice for man of the match, Mark Cunningham, standing beside him, Mannion added: “All year, Mark has been scoring freely and he got 2-6 in the semi-final, and 0-6 there today. He’s only 19 and he’s been massive all the year.”

Cunningham himself merely modestly accepted the plaudits, and opined: “We lost here last year, so it’s great to win it this year. We’re up to senior ‘B’ next year and we’ll try to drive it on. We’ll try and be competitive at that grade.”