Finnerty says it's unfair to burden Galway players with pressure to do it for Keady
September 01, 2017
The legendary Galway All-Ireland winning half back line from 1987 and '88 pictured in 2015, l/r: Pete Finnerty, Tony Keady and Gerry McInerney ©INPHO/James Crombie
by John Fallon
Former All-Star Pete Finnerty believes it is unfair to ask the Galway players to win Sunday's All-Ireland final against Waterford as a tribute to his late friend and teammate Tony Keady.
Finnerty formed one of the best half-back lines in hurling history along with Keady and Gerry McInerney when they put the disappointment of losing the 1985 and '86 All-Ireland finals behind them to lift the crown in the next two years.
He is distraught at the sudden death of his friend but just a couple of weeks after McInerney and himself shouldered Keady's coffin into Renville Cemetery, Finnerty said it's unfair to burden the current crop with further pressure.
"It would, of course, be a big lift to everyone if Galway won on Sunday. It's what Tony would have wanted, it's what he hoped would happen after coming back from the semi-final win over Tipperary and with such a sombre mood and sadness around it would be great if they win it.
"But it's not fair to put pressure on them to do it for Tony. They have enough to be dealing with and there's enough pressure attached to an All-Ireland without adding more.
"They know better than anyone that each of them needs to do it for himself. That's the first thing you have to get right, you can't do it or help the fella beside you unless you are up for it yourself and on top of your game.
"Cyril Farrell said it the other night, that there was never a winter when you win the All-Ireland. And we could do without the winter this year after what happened Tony. It would lift everything," said the double All-Ireland winner.
Finnerty and his colleagues have set up a fund to assist the Keady family - https://www.gofundme.com/tony-
But Finnerty said that was for them to do and not put pressure on the current players although he is confident that by tea-time on Sunday evening Galway will be crowned All-Ireland champions for the fifth time and the first time he guided them home in 1988.
"It should be a great final and Waterford will be mad keen as well. But it's like history repeating itself. We lost two and then in '87 won the league before going on to win two All-Irelands. Some of these Galway lads have played in three or four finals, but they have come good this year winning the league and pushing on from that.
"An awful lot of great Galway hurlers came after us - Ollie Canning, Joe Rabbitte, Damien Hayes, Eugene Cloonan and I'm only thinking of a few names - who never won an All-Ireland so it would be great if these lads out that right. It would be an awful injustice if Joe Canning went through his career without an All-Ireland.
"But finals come down to small things, you need the bounce of the ball but if they get it this Galway side have that bit more experience to see them home. I'm really looking forward to it," added the Mullagh clubman.
