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Slaughtneil's sense of community will be hard-beaten - Ray Silke

Ray Silke reckons goals will prove the difference when red-hot favourites Corofin clash with Slau...



Slaughtneil's sense of com...
Football

Slaughtneil's sense of community will be hard-beaten - Ray Silke

Ray Silke reckons goals will prove the difference when red-hot favourites Corofin clash with Slaughtneil in today's AIB GAA Club Football Championship final at Croke Park (4.0).

But the former All-Ireland winner - with both Galway and Corofin - admits Slaughtneil's "sense of community will be hard-beaten".

The tight-knit Derry side are one of the smaller outfits to make it all the way to Croke Park on St Patrick's Day, and Silke is wary of the David v Goliath clash.

"In an All-Ireland club final there's always a chance," he told Kieran Cuddihy on Newstalk's Breakfast.

"Slaughtneil are a very dogged and experienced team. They're a tough bunch. There's very small community up there and when you have that sense of community it's hard-beaten.

"I was at the All-Ireland final 10 years ago (2004) when An Gaeltacht (Kerry) got beaten by Caltra (Galway) so anything can happen."

However, Silke is still backing his native club: "Corofin should get the goals to win the match," he added.

Listen to the club football and hurling finals preview here:

Meanwhile, the hurlers will go at it first with a 2pm throw-in between Kilkenny's Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilmallock for the All-Ireland club title.

Limerick senior Seamus Hickey said he isn't sure if the odds (1/2) do  Ballyhale Shamrocks justice.

With the Fennellys - Colin and Mick, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, Joey Holden, TJ Reid and Henry Shefflin all on board, Hickey said: "I'm not sure the odds reflect how far ahead they are of Kilmallock," although he added that his fellow countymen, "are a very well-organised and hard-working team ... fitness won't be a factor - I reckon it will be the smarter heads."

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