Athenry's day has arrived

THE questionable temperament theory that haunts Athenry is largely based on the fact that a team with such a remarkable array of personnel has struggled to make a commensurate competitive impact.

This reached a nadir two years ago when Dunloy picked their pockets in injury-time of an All-Ireland semi-final. The experience in the county semi-final against a lively Clarinbridge seems to have fire-proofed them in this campaign.

Watching them dismantle poor old Camross in this year's semi-final - allowing for apparent sickness in the Laois champions camp - it was possible to discern a ruthlessness in their method and execution.

Some of the defending was admittedly a bit scattered, but in the foul conditions that prevailed, that was hardly surprising. When the time came to move up the gears, the backs, and particularly goalkeeper Michael Crimmins, snapped over the shutters.

It was the attacking moves, though, that most caught the eye. From a half-hack line that Brian Feeney strictly commands and from which Brian Higgins's sniping bursts and the physically imposing Paul Hardiman gene rate chances, through a solid and by times creative midfield, the ball that goes in to the forwards is high-quality and well exploited.

Donal and Cathal Moran are archetypal zippy corner-forward tormentors, and Eugene Cloonan has been precociously productive at full-forward. But Joe Rabbitte was the star turn against Camross. Roaming around the middle and making things happen, he ran the show.

Today's opponents, Wolfe Tones have mastered a substantial amount of the prescription for success. Ironically, for a club that had been criticised for a lack of community spirit, caused by Shannon's ersatz origins, their spiritedness has been at the heart of their progress.

Nowhere has the spirit glowed more brightly than in the defence, where Brian Lohan's severe regime at full-back has frazzled a succession of challengers. His brother, Frank has been another huge influence.

The trouble for the Clare champions has been that up front they are limited. After the narrow escape against Cushendall in the semi-final, it appears increasingly likely that the scoring blitz on Ballygunner in the Munster final was an aberration - one emphasised by the corresponding difficulties encountered in the second half by an unusually jittery defence.

There's no doubting the individual capacity of Wolfe Tones's defence to subdue Cloonan, Rabbitte and the supporting cast, but will it happen in all positions and can Paul O'Rourke keep the scoreboard moving quickly enough to stay ahead of whatever Athenry manage to slip past Power and the Lohans?

The median point on the band of possibilities says no.