Cunningham's crew crave final spot

LEINSTER CLUB SFC SEMI-FINAL GARRYCASTLE v BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S:IF GALWAY'S former All-Ireland hurling winner Anthony Cunningham is not careful he may soon be considered a Westmeath football man.

He won back-to-back All-Ireland hurling titles with Galway, in 1987-88, and is the current Galway under-21 hurling manager. But these days Cunningham is getting more attention for guiding Westmeath football champions Garrycastle towards their first provincial final.

This Sunday, they play Ballyboden St Enda's in the Leinster semi-final - neither team having made the final before. In fact, no Westmeath club has ever won the Leinster football title, and while Cunningham certainly isn't looking that far ahead, their progress in recent weeks suggests they'll certainly put it up to the Dublin champions.

Dessie and Gary Dolan scored 1-8 between them in the quarter-final win over Longford kingpins Clonguish, and they'll also have home advantage on Sunday, which is usually worth a couple of points.

Yet Cunningham's role with Garrycastle, even given his hurling background, is not so unusual.

He spent the previous three years with the St Brigid's football side in Roscommon, helping them to a Connacht title in 2006.

He currently works out of Athlone IT, in software research. Garrycastle, in other words, is as good as his home club, and that's helped make for a smooth transition.

"I would have known a good few players from working in Athlone IT," says Cunningham, who is in his first year as club manager.

"I suppose hurling was my main game, until I went with St Brigid's in Roscommon. But I would still have some ambition on the hurling side as well, and look forward to going back with the Galway under-21s next year.

"We were just touched off this year by Clare, after extra-time. That was disappointing, but in fairness, Garrycastle have already brought home a county title, so it's nice to at least get something out of the year."

That was the fourth such title in the short history of the Athlone club. Founded as recently as 1981, they also won titles in 2001, 2002 and 2004, and Cunningham says this year's success has been partly about building on the achievements of the recent past.

"They'd a lot of good work done from last year, and even the year before, although maybe they have had that small bit of extra belief this year. So I'm certainly not taking all the credit for it.

"They've also trained that bit harder this year, been a little bit more focused. We've introduced some new players as well. All these small things count when you add them all up.

"The team has just improved overall. The acid test now is whether we're good enough to beat Ballyboden. I think we have improved too as the year went on, with a better game plan, better organisation.

"Also, Dessie and Gary Dolan are both playing very well, and we'd David O'Shaughnessy back from injury for the last match. So it's all come together . . . .

Cunningham, however, is aware of the scale of Sunday's challenge. "The Dublin champions have done very well in this competition over the last few years. They've won the last two All-Irelands.

"The standard is obviously very high in Dublin club football. But we'd be happy enough with our own progress."