If defending Derry and Ulster champions Slaughtneil are to safe a record-obliterating 10 consecutive county senior hurling Championships, then they might be compelled to do it with out their attacking jewel, Brendan Rogers.
Slaughtneil face Kevin Lynch’s within the Fr Collins Cup Closing in Owenbeg on Sunday, and going for 10-in-a-row would go away the membership on the slopes of Carntogher with one thing to actually boast about, outstripping profitable runs of different golf equipment by a few years.
However the potential of shedding Rogers — a person in soccer All-Star competition this yr together with membership mates Chrissy McKaigue and Shane McGuigan, who will certainly characteristic this weekend — is a blow to the scoring energy of the Emmets.
“He broke his wrist taking part in soccer just a few weeks in the past,” explains his hurling supervisor Michael McShane.
“And even then there was a slight complication with it. We needed to ship him for an additional wee process, simply to get it mounted 100 per cent.
“He most likely may have struggled on with it however we simply thought ‘no, let’s kind it out proper’, so he was in for an additional process.
“He's nip and tuck, whether or not he will likely be in for the sport subsequent Sunday or not.
“We're going to give him proper as much as the match to provide him each likelihood. He is a vital participant for us, a giant participant, vice-captain and a pacesetter within the group.
“We're giving him each likelihood, however I might charge him as 50-50 on the minute to be sincere. We're planning with out him as a lot as we're planning with him.”
If there may be one membership and one supervisor with an insider’s view of how the cut up season has labored out within the first yr of operation, it's Slaughtneil and McShane.
In earlier years, Derry golf equipment had been a lot accustomed to having their county gamers concerned in membership league video games all through the marketing campaign.
That has all modified with two separate seasons as such, though there may be some overlap for McShane, who's combining his commitments at Slaughtneil with bringing glory to Tyrone as Crimson Arms supervisor having already guided them to the Nicky Rackard Cup.
“As a supervisor with a foot in each camps, I'm an advocate of it,” explains McShane on the brand new system.
“I’m most likely higher certified than most to speak about it and say whether or not it really works or not.
“However I feel it really works for either side. I do know there may be consternation about All-Irelands being performed too early and it's important to wait so lengthy for an additional county recreation.
“The world doesn't begin and finish with inter-county, however you possibly can say that it begins and ends with the membership as a result of that's crucial a part of the GAA.
“The inter-county gamers have an opportunity and a chance to go and focus with their county and they aren't pulled into membership coaching or anticipated to play membership matches. They'll take the time to go and focus.
“For instance, by no means thoughts the lads on the county hurling panel, however the 4 lads on the soccer panel who put in such an enormous shift this yr (McKaigue, Rogers, McGuigan and Paul McNeill) in coaching and profitable Ulster and attending to All-Eire Semi-Finals, they had been left by their membership administration to their very own gadgets to get on with that and focus and focus on it and do the perfect they will do in it.
“As soon as that was over, they had been again with their membership and requested to provide their dedication to the membership and the inter-county could be set to the facet till their membership work is over.”
He provides: “And I feel from a participant’s viewpoint — crucial folks of all — it really works for them. It offers them that likelihood to give attention to whichever workforce is in place.
“I feel it really works nice. I actually do. The folks worrying, after they get used to it, it will likely be high quality.”