Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Henry Shefflin knows that his young charges face a huge test against Galway champions St Thomas in the All-Ireland club SHC final.

The sides meet in an eagerly awaited final at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day as Ballyhale seek their seventh title at this level.

They have been the standard bearers in All-Ireland club hurling over the years, but many of the current side are facing into their first final in what is some players first year in adult hurling.

St Thomas will certainly have the more experienced side on show and Shefflin acknowledged this fact when talking to the Kilkenny People.

“We have massive respect for St Thomas,” stated Shefflin. “They are similar to ourselves. They, like ourselves are a rural, country club; brothers, cousins, that community spirit very much there.

“For me, the reason I respect them so much is they have serious forwards. They can hurt us. They are serious hurlers. They can hurl. They play the ball, they play it around.

“They are a high scoring team with a tight defence and they have a nice sprinkling of inter-county stars. Everything we have seen from them has been very good.”

Follow the hoganstand.com match tracker this weekend for live coverage of the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues, as well as the All-Ireland club senior finals at Croke Park.

Tweet

Most Read Stories