hurling

Preview: Cushendall v Na Piarsaigh

25 May 2018 - 3:51PM

The hurling final starts at 2pm

Thursday, March 17

AIB GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Final**

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Ruairi Og, Cushendall, Croke Park, 2pm, Live on TG4

Having won three Munster titles in five years Na Piarsaigh subsequently suffered All Ireland semi-final heartbreak so this decider promises to be interesting.

Cruel defeats to Loughgiel Shamrocks (2012) and Portumna (2014) brought plenty of woe, but Na Piarsaigh's resilient February display against Oulart the Ballagh augurs well. Sprinkled with top class inter-county talent Na Piarsaigh survived a tense and thrilling clash with Oulart the Ballagh to secure a much coveted final spot.

Last month Ruairi Óg, Cushendall cruised to a surprisingly comfortable victory over a fancied Sarsfields outfit. That stirring Pairc Tailteann performance means Cushendall will carry hope and a bit of expectation with them to the Jones Road venue.

Cushendall's proud history includes 13 Antrim County Championships – 10 of those were followed by further silverware in Ulster.

Loughgiel Shamrocks' stunning Liam Watson inspired victory over Coolderry 2012 showcased what a pumped up Antrim club team can do when the stakes are piled high. John McKillop's charges have been cool and consistent throughout the campaign recovering on a couple of occasions to prevail in tight encounters.

In the Antrim final Cushendall trailed Ballycastle by nine points, but Donal McNaughton and Eoghan Campbell pounced for opportunistic goals to spearhead Ruairi Og's remarkable revival.

Na Piarsaigh, though, have an abundance of accomplished Limerick stars of the past, present, and future.

David Breen

The Limerick city club was formed in 1968, but have made strides in county and provincial action during the past decade. Sixmilebridge, Thurles Sarsfields, and Ballygunner were all outwitted as Na Piarsaigh excelled down south in 2015.

Significant work has been carried out in the underage, schools, and third level grades so Na Piarsaigh have benefitted from this rapid resurgence. When Oulart the Ballagh posed stern questions of Na Piarsaigh's resolve Shane O'Neill's panel located the necessary answers.

A free from Oulart's Nicky Kirwan forced extra-time, but Na Piarsaigh stayed the distance finishing strongly to emerge on a 1-22 to 0-20 scoreline. David Breen is an influential figure for Na Piarsaigh in an exciting forward unit also featuring Kevin Downes and Shane Dowling.

Cushendall are quietly optimistic about causing another surprise at GAA headquarters. Neil McManus' 1-7 haul in the Sarsfields tie proved just how relevant he is to the Cushendall cause.

Aaron Graffin, Sean Delargy, Ryan McCambridge and the McNaughtons were others who contributed hugely when Cushendall pulled clear to record a deserved 3-12 to 1-6 triumph.

Cushendall had been defeated in seven previous semi-final contests so the spirited and skilful manner in which they advanced to the St Patrick's Day event brought particular joy.

Historically the All Ireland club final has been troublesome for Limerick sides with Ballybrown, Patrickswell, and Kilmallock all failing to clear this awkward hurdle.

Neil McManus

At this juncture in 2015 Kilmallock were hopeful ahead of their tussle with Ballyhale Shamrocks, but the Kilkenny team chalked up a sixth title. How those other Limerick clubs have fared isn't an issue for Na Piarsaigh according to David Breen.

“That’s irrelevant to me, and it’s irrelevant to a lot of the players as well,” Breen said about Ballybrown, Patrickswell, and Kilmallock's losses. “Limerick people love to go on about history and voodoo and spells and all the rest, but that’s nonsense.

"Our club has a history of 48 years and that doesn’t stand up to a lot of other clubs in Limerick, but that’s history, that’s not now. We’ve got a good team and we’re trying to achieve something. That’s all that matters.”

Both Na Piarsaigh and Cushendall will bring that type of determined attitude with the Tommy Moore Cup an appropriate prize for whoever prevails.

PATHS TO THE FINAL

NA PIARSAIGH

AIB All Ireland Club Hurling Semi-final

Na Piarsaigh 1-22 Oulart the Ballagh 0-20, after extra-time

AIB Munster Hurling Club Final

Na Piarsaigh 2-18 Ballygunner 2-11

AIB Munster Hurling Club Semi-Final

Na Piarsaigh 2-15 Thurles Sarsfields 0-17

AIB Munster Hurling Club Quarter-Final

Na Piarsaigh 3-11 Sixmilebridge 1-15

Limerick County Final