Year in Review I - Hurling Heroes

As with all of the upcoming reviews of the year, I'll try not to repeat what was already said. We start with the new and first time European Hurling Champions.

Led by the balding eagle, Martin Crowley; his second year at the helm brought home the cup that we hadn't even come within touching distance of previously. We had finished 2008 on a high, winning the Zurich tournament and started 2009 with a steady arrival of new blood.

Cork provided us Eoghan Kelly, Daire Cotter and Dominic King. Later Tipperary (and Cavan) would send us Jim McGrath. The Cats sent Pearce and the Dubs gave us one of its filthiest (obviously that should read finest) sons, Fergal Mythen. These additions combined with the fact we retained the guts of last years squad meant we were always going to be a formidable force.

Paris, Brussels and Den Haag were won convincingly and showed a gulf in standards this year. We recognise that luck (who comes and who goes) plays a big part in the success and failure of teams in Europe. This year we got the rub but there were two tournaments where we really had to stand up and earn our spurs.

The first, in Arlon, was the Luxembourg tournament. Its been well documented in earlier blogs and in my mind, it still holds its place as one of the greatest games I've been involved in. It had everything; two totally committed teams, hard hurling, wounded players ploughing on through the pain, three periods of extra-time and a score fit to split any pair of teams.

We defeated The Hague and one of their players summed up the feeling after the game when he was talking to Dec last week. He said it was a game where there was no bitterness at the end. Both teams gave it their all and matched eachother step for step. There had to be a winner and the loser would have to accept it and appreciate the spectacle in which they too played a starring role.

The second occassion was in Zurich. 12 players drove seven hours the Saturday of the tournament. The squad missed a plethora of players but still rustled up the necessary. The tournament was won but the club demonstrated more that day. We didnt need to go to claim the overall Championship but we have always travelled, in the good days and the bad. We understand the importance of travelling to Zurich and honouring our committment to the competition.

Everyone played their part through the year. Conor Aylward was a standout player. Eoghan Kelly did a significant job on many occassions. Our Canadians Adrian and Jarrett also contributed handsomely. The season was not without its cruel moment though. Crusher's knee injury and roar down in Arlon is hard to erase from the memory. He's on the mend though and we can expect him back next year.

So, 25 years after claiming a Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medal with Erins Isle, Martin Crowley led Belgium to its first European Hurling title. He carried on the work of the likes of Aine O'Regan, Cian O'Lionan and Willie Cashin which started back in 2004. Its one of the most thankless jobs in sport; training a hurling team in Europe but he fulfilled it with enthusiasim and success.

We also hosted Na Fianna in a challenge game back in February and won it convincingly. In March, myself, Rochey, Hough, Eoin and Keary played in the Leinster Junior Hurling Championship with County Europe. Today we can say Hurling in Belgium is on a high and we should enjoyed every minute of it.