“For a club like us to get to play in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day doesn’t come around a lot”

Darragh Fitzgibbon knows that these days don't come around too often for a club like Charleville.

When he was growing up, Charleville were only junior. In 2011, they won the junior championship and that got them going and eight years on, they've finally made it back to senior hurling in Cork. They've the small matter of next weekend's AIB All-Ireland intermediate hurling final against Oranmore-Maree to focus on first though but for their star man Darragh Fitzgibbon, the focus is even sharper. That's because for him, it's all about just getting his knee right whatever way he can in the next days. After playing a customary starring role in their semi-final win over a fancied Graigue/Ballycallan in Semple Stadium, the thoroughbred half forward was involved in a collision late on that saw him twist his knee and do a bit of damage to his medial ligament. https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/darragh-fitzgibbon-pride-charleville-knows-nothing-184092 Initially, he feared the worst such is the fickle nature of knee injuries but with the prognosis a medial, rather than a cruciate tweak, he's giving it all he has to give himself his best possible shot at getting back for the final.

"I did a bit of damage to my medial ligament but I suppose I'm working away with the physio now at the moment. So I've another 10 days to get ready so hopefully I'll be okay," he said to us at an AIB GAA event. "I'd a collision over by the sideline and I just twisted my knee. I went back on and I made it worse. Just in the end I had to come off."

Adrenaline, the buzz of it all, the form he was in brought him back on that day and with the town buzzing again for next Sunday's outing in Croke Park, the Cork star reckons he'll be good to go.

"I suppose I shouldn't have really come back on is what I was thinking at the start. I was worried it might have maybe been a longer-term injury but I was kind of relieved when I realised it would only be a couple of weeks so it could have been worse. I got a scan after."

"The adrenaline kind of got me through it coming back on. But for a club like us to get the chance to play in Croke Park on an All-Ireland final day doesn't come around a lot.

That's a crucial bit of news Ben O'Connor's team. A fast, skilful, outfit, their game revolves around their lightning half forward who turns half-chances into points most times he gets on the ball. Darragh Fitzgibbon of Charleville, left, is pictured alongside Niall Burke of Oranmore-Maree, ahead of the AIB GAA All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Club Championship Final, taking place at Croke Park on Sunday, February 10th. For exclusive content and behind the scenes action throughout the AIB GAA & Camogie Club Championships follow AIB GAA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Croke Park, Dublin.