GAELIC GAMES ALL STAR TOUR: THE VODAFONE All Star hurling exhibition match takes place at the Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires this evening.
The venue’s name is merely a coincidence as it is actually a famous polo, golf, cricket and tennis club named after a venue near Fulham in London.
Really, it is known as the first place polo was played in Argentina, which is almost a national sport around these parts, second of course, like everything else, to soccer.
So, hurling in Hurlingham. Brian Cody and Liam Sheedy manage what is a combination of the All Stars of 2008 and 2009 along with some high-profile replacements like Cork’s Seán Óg Ó hAilpín.
Two years ago the fixture took place in sub-zero conditions in New York so the gentle breeze of an Argentinian spring has been welcomed by all this week and promises a decent hurling contest as well. It was overcast yesterday but the forecast says it is to remain humid and in the high-20s.
The players, and media, pucked around on the pitch with local children yesterday during what were relaxed preparations.
The Irish ancestry is evident throughout Buenos Aires with the entire party situated in the Marriott Plaza Hotel downtown on Corina Kavanagh. Kavanagh Street. The Kilkenny bar is just around the corner.
The referee is Cork’s Diarmuid Kirwan who also took charge of this year’s All-Ireland final.
Meanwhile, Ollie Canning will be back in the Galway maroon in 2010 after confirming on this week’s All Star tour that his appetite for the intercounty hurling scene remains as ravenous as ever.
Barring a couple of seasons, the 33-year-old Portumna man has been ploughing away at intercounty level since breaking into the panel in 1995.
“There have been a few meetings so far, I went along to them and I’ve said that I’ll give it a go if I’m fit enough and the management feel that I have something to offer the set-up. I’ll stay on and give it a lash, for one last time maybe.”
Despite an ultimately disappointing entry into the Leinster championship in 2009, followed by a surprise defeat to Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final, one factor Canning feels is essential is a period of continuity in Galway hurling. That means a certain amount of loyalty must be placed in John McIntyre and his management team.
“The management team in Galway are very professional and they have a very good set-up. If there was a change of management, maybe you’d have to think about it (returning). But I know from last year that they had great people on board so that made the decision to go back easier for me. If I’m required, I’d like to give it a shot if I can.”
