Stephen Lucey looks ahead to Croom’s Munster semi-final clash

Croom take on Mullinahone in the Munster Junior Football Club semi-final this weekend after they defeated Ballyduff Lower last weekend.

They travel to Templetuohy to face the Tipperary champions this Saturday at 1.30pm.

Croom took an early lead in the quarter-final and never relinquished it, eventually winning out 0-8 to 0-6.

For the evergreen Stephen Lucey, the win went someway in rectifying the county final loss to Monaleen a fortnight ago.

“Yeah it’s very pleasing. We played well there. We weren’t one bit happy with our county final performance. We were too conservative; we went defensive and made a few mistakes. Fair play to Monaleen, they deserved it, no complaints.

“But we changed tack. We went for broke, shackles were completely off, just let it in and thankfully it worked out.

“Very pleasing and we are looking forward to Mullinahone .”

Ahead of that clash with the Tipp champions, Lucey is hoping his side can replicate their performance from last weekend.

“It would be great, but we’ll take it one at a time. We won today, we’ve Mullinahone next and I don’t know who’s on the other side. We’re not looking at that.

“We will try and see what we can find out about Mullinahone but again we’re going to try and do what we can do. Hopefully we can play as well as we did today.”

The former intercounty hurler also joked that he would get in touch with Mullinahone’s most famous son, Tipp hurling legend Eoin Kelly prior to the game.

“I’ll give Eoin Kelly a ring and see what he says.”

With Lucey in the latter stages of his career, he said the impact of the younger players on Saturday was crucial with the club having suffered a number of high-profile losses in the last number of years.

“We were very disappointed. We lost the county junior final this year and the intermediate hurling last year and against Galtee Gaels three years ago, so three county finals in as many years.

“We’re sick of playing bad on the big days and that’s why today suited us. The shackles were off, and we went out and enjoyed it.

“You need to bring last through because we’re near the end.

“I’m delighted to see the younger fellas come on there. We’re definitely going to be bringing them on in future. It’s time for myself, Razor and Mickey to hang them up!”

Lucey also jokingly issued an open invitation to the club’s strictly come dancing event which will take place after the Mullinahone clash in the South Court Hotel.

“We have our strictly come dancing next Saturday night so everyone is welcome, we’re hoping to get new floodlights, they’re still there since 1984, maybe that’s why we can’t catch the ball.”