Limerick's Tommie Childs: 'It’s a dream come true' to make Tailteann Cup final

TOMMIE Childs is a player who has experienced the highs and lows of the Limerick football. Childs joined the Limerick panel in 2016. Saturday will be the first ever time Limerick and Childs compete for silverware in July.

“You can really appreciate it, I spent the last two or three weeks where people just came up to me constantly saying best wishes this week, half those people probably didn't even know we were playing before.

“We're coming now to a stage where everyone is watching us, you're at the highest level and you're getting a chance to play in Croke Park again. It's really a dream come true this year,” said Limerick senior footballer Tommie Childs.

Childs enjoys conversations with supporters in the lead-up to big games.

“I love just talking to people about the games and getting into it that way. Some people like to stay away from it, it doesn't effect me that way, thank God.”

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The Limerick midfielder believes the intensity in training is a big thing that has changed for his side this year.

“A big thing for us is just the intensity we are going at, every training session is a battle. There were two or three months there in the middle of the league, you were nearly fighting with lads to get onto the team.

“I was on the fringes of the team for a couple of weeks, every training session, the battle with the likes of Sean Clancy and Darragh O'Hagan was just immense. You'd leave training broken up altogether. If you're training at that level all the time, you'll stay at that high level.”

The new rules and more contests around the middle of the pitch is something which Childs has embraced this season.

“I'm loving it, it's the best thing that has happened in a long time all those long kick-outs. There's a lot more running in it obviously, it's just way more enjoyable. There's no comparison compared to the last couple of years, the long kick-outs can help bring players like me into the game a lot of the time, I've no complaints.”

Childs and Darragh O'Hagan have formed a consistent midfield partnership this year. O'Hagan was drafted into the Limerick senior football panel on the back of an impressive club championship with Mungret St Paul's and he also impressed for UL throughout the Sigerson Cup.

“Darragh is a big character around the place, we've two big midfielders. It's tough for a keeper looking out at both us us just height wise alone. Darragh is great in every way, he does all the work around the field as well, I just love playing with him.”
Pre-match nerves are nothing new for Childs, though he embraces them as part of his routine. “I'd be as nervous as you can get, it doesn't effect me too much. Sometimes it's the best thing that can happen.”

The Galtee Gaels man is relishing the Tailteann Cup final against Kildare. “Kildare have obviously played more games at this standard, we won't let that effect us."

He doesn't agree that Limerick are in bonus territory.

“It's a chance, it's definitely a chance. I wouldn't even say bonus territory. We have shown that we have been as good as every opposition we have came up against or we've better than them, that's everybody that's been in the Tailteann Cup. “