Ray Larkin, the Galway man at the helm of Mayo club's success

It has all the romance of a great story, a hurling team from Mayo back in an All Ireland Intermediate Hurling Final and taking on a team from Tipperary! The classic David versus Goliath story from biblical times all over again. And, as ever, the vast majority of hurling aficionados will be rooting for the Tooreen when watching the game on TG4 on Saturday evening or listening to it on Midwest Radio.

Mayo people on vacation in the Canary Islands, over in Spain or Portugal, down in Australia or in America and Canada, will be seeking out pubs to watch the match this weekend. In many respects, this is a phenomenal achievement and the man at the helm is a Galway man, Ray Larkin, steeped in the south Galway tradition of the greatest game of all.

Ray, who resides in Kiltimagh, brought his love of hurling to Mayo and has been manager of the Tooreen team for close on a decade. He was at the helm in 2017 when they caused a sensation when defeating Ballinderreen from his home county in the Connacht Final in lovely Athleague, a hurling stronghold in south Roscommon.

An All Ireland semi-final against Ballyragget from the famed land of the black and amber in Kilkenny proved a bridge too far on that occasion down in Ennis but former GAA President, Nicky Brennan from Conahy Shamrocks, a neighbouring club of Ballyragget, was to the fore in saluting the huge efforts of Tooreen on that day.

Few could have foreseen what was about to unfold. Six Connacht titles since then and an All Ireland Final showdown against Monaleen of Limerick three years ago that went down to the last puck of the game in Croke Park. Ray, together with Tooreen legends Dom Greally and Brian Delaney, have been to the fore in guiding Tooreen back to Croke Park on this occasion. Former goalie, Stephen Lenehan is there too along with new addition, Colin Fitzgerald from Clare.

“Winning the Mayo final was our first goal. We were fortunate to get over the line against Ballyhaunis. They are a fine team and that game could have gone either way. Wins over Four Roads (Roscommon), St Gabriel’s (London), Meelick-Eyrecourt (Galway) and Carrickmore (Tyrone) have seen us back in Croke Path this weekend.

“We put in a massive display against Monaleen of Limerick in the final three years ago. We did not push on when we were on top and yet should have won that match. The experience you gain from games like that and the lads getting used to Croke Park has us all well focussed on the big game against the Tipperary and Munster champions, Upperchurch-Drombane,” says Ray.

The Tooreen manager is happy to have a full hand for the big game. “We are all good to go. Our captain, Daniel Huane, has recovered well from the injury sustained against Four Roads in Hyde Park. Colin Fitzgerald has been a fine addition to the backroom team. He is young but has a lot of experience and is a passionate hurling man.

“We know the Tipperary lads enter the game as big favourites having overcome a very good Danesfort team from Kilkenny that many of us thought would be in the final. We have had a good few challenge games with other teams from Munster along with teams from Galway who have been so helpful to us on this journey.

“The goodwill is phenomenal from all over the country and there is a special buzz about the team here in Mayo this year. We also want to wish Easkey from Sligo all the best in the Junior All Ireland Final which will be played before our game. Like ourselves, they were in Croke Park three years ago and we will be cheering them on all the way.”

The All Ireland Intermediate Final throws in at 5.15pm in Croke Park on Saturday evening. Contact family members, friends and neighbours in Dublin and neighbouring counties to get along to Croke Park and support Tooreen on this special evening for Connacht hurling.

Preview: Mayo hurling champions ready for All Ireland Final in Croke Park