By Alan Rodgers

ONE more important milestone now awaits Carrickmore’s Éire Ógs hurlers as they bid to follow in the brilliant footsteps of their camogs by making progress on the All-Ireland stage.

Their camogs clinched the national title with a marvellous victory last weekend. But the big challenge beckoning the hurlers is to focus on their own challenge as they aim to reach a Croke Park All-Ireland decider.

It comes just weeks after they secured a memorable and long-awaited provincial triumph, and the determination, skill and tactical dominance that they displayed against Lisbellaw is what they’ll be looking to repeat when Tuairín of Kerry provide the opposition on Sunday at 2pm in Breffni Park in Cavan.

Team captain Bryan McGurk led them to the Ulster title a few weeks ago, and is understandably looking forward immensely to the next step in a journey that has taken many twists and turns over the past two decades or so.

“ Tuairín this weekend is going to be another massive game for us. The whole team has been training hard for this and to be honest we simply can’t wait,” said the team captain.

“We celebrated the Ulster title and the focus for the past couple of weeks has been on the All-Ireland semi-final. Adrian (Slane, the Éire Óg manager) said he’d love to have us out training on Christmas Day and we’d love that too.

“It was all about enjoying our Ulster win and then getting back to training. There is an All-Ireland semi-final to be preparing for.”

There is no doubt as well that the Éire Óg hurlers will gain inspiration from their camogs and that brilliant national title success against St Kevin’s of Louth last weekend.

“Fair play to the camogs. Camogie was only really started in Éire Óg about 15 years ago and the work that goes on in the club is just amazing. There are serious volunteers, every year it’s getting more and it’s brilliant to be part of.

“Croke Park is an incentive for us, and you’re 60 minutes away from it. That would be an unbelievable achievement, but I know Tuairín are a serious team, they have played in All-Ireland finals in Croke Park and know what that’s like.

“We have done our homework on them, and it has been about preparing for Sunday and getting ready for what awaits us.”

In the meantime, the afterglow of the provincial glory still resonates around Éire Ógs as the countdown begins to Sunday’s big game.

“We have been training our whole lives for games like this. It’s hard to put into words how winning the Ulster title felt and now we’ve another challenge to look forward to,” added McGurk.

“It is just such a relief to get onto the All-Ireland stage because some of the more experienced players on the team probably wondered whether they were going to reach this level. To see them eventually get to this means everything because they have dedicated their lives to this team.

“This team have put in some serious performances in Ulster. Talking is one thing, but doing it is another and we have an All-Ireland semi-final.”