Rested Castletown ready for action

Castletown manager Paddy Kirwan is satisfied that his team are refreshed and rejuvenated for Sunday's Leinster club hurling final replay against Birr at Nowlan Park. A combination of events helped the Laois champions get their desired rest after the draw last Sunday week.

After holding the Offaly champions 1-7 to 0-10, Kirwan vowed he would not show up for the replay if it went ahead as scheduled the following Sunday. It would have been their third successive weekend of championship action.

The controversy was averted when the Leinster Council met to refix the Na Fianna-Sarsfields club football semi-final. While postponing that competition's final with Rathnew, and with the Castletown request now in writing, it was also decided to postpone the hurling decider for an extra week.

"That has been a huge boost for us," says Kirwan. "We had two very hard games in a row and it was very important for us to get the break. So we took a complete break last week, and did nothing at all. The idea was to freshen everyone up and I think we managed to do that.

"Now we're injury free as well and that's great. But that's not to say we won't have problems elsewhere. I know Birr are going to be harder to beat the next day. I know they will feel that they didn't hurl to their best last time out, and that they can definitely improve."

While Kirwan expects to start with the same team, Birr manager Pad Joe Whelahan is trying to resist the temptation of starting key forward and team captain Simon Whelahan.

Whelahan is back to light training after an operation on the knee cartilage damage that forced him to miss the drawn game. Although the medical advice is that he definitely shouldn't start, and Pad Joe is more or less resigned to being without him, he may yet play a cameo role.

Other members of the team are also being held back by minor injuries. "It was a very tough game for us the last day," says Barry Whelahan, "and there are a few players still carrying knocks. But we don't know yet who will definitely be ruled out."

Kirwan, meanwhile, remains confident. His side were ahead by six points at the turnaround before Birr cut down their lead, yet Kirwan feels that Sunday is likely to be different.

"These two teams have met a lot over the last few years and there's never been an awful lot between them. We're no more or less confident than the last day, because we still intend going out and giving it our best.

"But I know some people are saying that we lost our chance the last day. I don't see it like that at all. You just don't know how things are going to work out. I mean no one would have thought that it would take Na Fianna an hour and a half to beat Sarsfields last weekend.

"Of course they are going to be very tough opposition again. And I'd be worried as well about Johnny Pilkington. He had a quiet afternoon the last day, but I've never known him to have two quiet afternoons in a row."

For Na Fianna manager Mick Galvin, the injury list is so extensive that he won't name a team to face Rathnew in the Leinster football decider until shortly before throw-in on Sunday. It will be their fifth championship game in six weeks.

Dessie Farrell's chronic knee injury has been well documented, but there are genuine fears that a knee injury to midfielder Karl Donnelly and a neck injury to forward Des Macken may rule them out. In addition, full back Nigel Clancy is still troubled with a hernia problem and corner back Noel ╙ Murch· has a hamstring injury.

The Wicklow champions have a few minor injury concerns of their own. Manager Harry Murphy is most worried about midfielder Declan Byrne, who is making a slow recovery from a back injury, although he will have Leighton Glynn available after suspension.