Break in the clouds

Hurling is bouncing back slowly but surely around these parts. Heavy clouds hung over the early season with numbers low and the zip out of virtually every training taken by the rain.

The first tournament up in The Hague was our worst since early 2008. We were barely competitive. I missed out on the Zurich trip but by all accounts the lads came up with at least one sterling performance to lift spirits.

On Saturday, we travel to Luxembourg with a bumper panel. Darragh rejoins on a hiatus from his Uganda stint. Keary is back from suspension and I return after missing the last day along with some other absentees. Add in one or two new lads and the panel is looking healthy.

Keeping hurling going is a real mission and fair play to Martin and Shane for sticking with it. It would be easy to pack it in when you go from continued success to basically rock bottom. Hopefully we can click on Saturday and start climbing the ladder again.

Holland have been the most balanced team to date and deservedly stand on the brink of winning the Championship. The rest of the team's fortunes have fluctuated so it is hard to know what to expect on Saturday. We'd be hoping to be involved at the business end of the day and looking for a few upsets.

Going into a hurling tournament as an underdog sits quite well with me. That we hold such status has probably sunk in more quickly for the hurlers. The footballers on the other hand still hold themselves in higher esteem and can't tap into that 'survival mode' instinct.

I can't wait for it on Saturday as a result. If there is any sport you need to feel a sense of cause then its hurling. The uncompromising nature of the game means you need to be brave and slightly manic in your approach. I'm looking forward to the physical exchanges and the to and fro nature of a tournament day.

Even at the lowest points in Belgium hurling, we've been able to fight our way to credibility. The lads started that in Zurich and we intend to march further forward in Luxembourg.