Month: September 2021

Updated Oct 7th 2018, 6:09 PM

Kilmacud Crokes 3-13
Cuala 1-17

Stephen O’Meara reports from Parnell Park 

THE MARQUEE GAME of this year’s Dublin senior hurling championship saw the semi-final clash of three in-a-row Dublin, and two-in-a-row All-Ireland champions, Cuala, face southside rivals and 2014 champions, Kilmacud Crokes.

A repeat of the 2016 and 17 finals, this one had some added spice, with the respective managers, Cuala’s Mattie Kenny and Crokes’ Anthony Daly, each being whispered about as potential replacements for Pat Gilroy at the helm for the Dublin senior hurlers.

In the end it would prove to be Daly’s men who triumphed with a scoreline of 3-13 to 1-17.

The game started at a frantic pace, with the sides going man for man at the start, but two Crokes goals in the first half, from Oisín O’Rorke in the opening stages and Ronan Hayes in the 18th minute, would prove key, seeing the challengers lead by 2-8 to 0-7 at the break.

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A big upset at Parnell Park as Kilmacud Crokes dump All-Ireland champions Cuala out of the Dublin SHC! (Pic: @inphosports)

A post shared by The42 (@the42.ie) on Oct 7, 2018 at 10:03am PDT

Cuala’s cause wasn’t helped when they lost the influential Darragh O’Connell to injury in the 13th minute, forcing Kenny to reshuffle his team.

The beginning of the second half would see Croke’s continue to attack, and a strong run and finish from Damien Kelly gave the Stillorgan men their third goal.

Cuala, however, wouldn’t go down without a fight as Con O’Callaghan grew into the game, finishing with four points. Crucially, however, he wasn’t able to make any inroads towards goal, under close scrutiny from Bill O’Carroll.

The holders did pull a goal back in the 50th minute through a Seán Moran penalty, but the Crokes defence, lead by Niall Corcoran, were able to hold strong to the finish out with a two point win.

Crokes will now face Ballyboden in the final as they look to regain their title for the first time since 2014.

Scorers for Cuala: D Treacy (0-11 9f) Con O’Callaghan (0-4) Sean Moran (1-0 1 pen) Diarmuid Flynn (0-1) Colm Cronin (0-1)

Scorers for Crokes: Howard (0-6 6f) O’Rorke (1-0) Hayes (1-0) Damien Kelly (1-0) Conway (0-2) McMullan (0-3) McGrath (0-1) ) O’Rorke (0-1)

Cuala

1 Sean Brennan

2 Oisin Gough
3 Cian O’Callaghan
7 Darragh O’Connell

5 John Sheanon
6 Sean Moran
4 Simon Timlin

8 Jake Moran
9 Sean Treacy

10 David Treacy
12 Colm Sheanon
13 Mark Schutte
11 Colm Cronin

14 Con O’Callaghan
15 Nicky Kenny

Subs:

21 Diarmuid Flynn for O’ Connell (13)
24 Niall Carty for Kenny (ht)
22 Shane Murphy for C Sheanon (40)

Kilmacud Crokes

1 Matt Collins

7 Cian MacGabhann
3 Bill O’Carroll

5 Ross O’Carroll
6 Ryan O’Dwyer
2 Niall Corcoran
4 Jamie Clinton

8 Lorcan McMullan
11 Fergal Whitely

17 Damien Kelly
10 Sean McGrath
12 Caolan Conway

13 Oisin O’Rorke
14 Marc Howard
15 Ronan Hayes

Substitutes:

25 Alex Considine for Kelly (36)
21 Darragh Butler for Corcoran (58)
20 Barry O’Rorke for McGrath (61)

Referee: Jason Buckley

*******

Ballyboden St Enda’s sealed their place in the final with a 2-16 to 0-18 victory against St Vincent’s. Paul Doherty and Aidan Mellett hit the net for the victors. 

Dublin SHC 'A' Semi-Final:

Full-time score -@StVincentsGAA1: 0-18 (18)@Bodengaa: 2-16 (22)

Ballyboden St. Endas are through to the Final!#DSHCA pic.twitter.com/EhdyGd7Gfj

— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) October 7, 2018

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COOLDERRY LIFTED THE Offaly hurling title for the 31st time in their history with a 2-17 to 0-17 win over reigning champions Kilcormac/Killoughey.

Goals from captain Kevin Connolly and Eoghan Parlon in either half powered Joachim Kelly’s side to their first title since 2015.

Kevin Connolly the @coolderrygaa captain celebrates with the Robbins Cup pic.twitter.com/gsb3VbQdkc

— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) October 7, 2018

Camross were crowned Laois hurling champions after defeating Rathdowney Errill by 2-15 to 0-19. 

In the Wexford SHC semi-finals, Naomh Eanna beat Oylegate-Glenbrien by 3-14 to 4-7, while St Martin’s were 4-14 to 0-14 winners against Rapparees. In the Meath SHC, Kiltale sealed their fifth county title in-a-row with a 2-18 to 0-14 win over Trim.

Athleague beat Four Roads by 2-11 to 1-11 in the Roscommon hurling decider.

Scotstown won their fourth Monaghan SFC crown in-a-row with a 1-12 to 0-13 win over Ballybay with Conor McCarthy their goalscorer.

Scotstown are Monaghan Senior Football Champions 2018! Check out the full-time highlights here! pic.twitter.com/PjVsXnEE67

— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 7, 2018

Eire Og retained their Carlow SFC title with a 0-9 to 0-5 win over Palatine in the decider.

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In the Galway football quarter-finals, the clash between Milltown and Salthill-Knocknacarra will go to a replay after their 1-9 to 0-12 draw. Corofin enjoyed a 2-10 to 1-6 win over Caherlistrane in the day’s other quarter-final.

Moorefield will meet Athy in the Kildare football final after their 0-17 to 0-9 win over Naas this afternoon.

The final pairing for the Westmeath SFC is now known, where Mullingar Shamrocks will meet St Lomans for the title. Shamrocks were 0-10 to 0-9 winners over Tyrrellspass, while Leinster finalists St Loman’s beat Garrycastle by 2-10 to 0-12.

The Longford SFC final between Abbeylara and Mullinalaghta finished level at 0-6 apiece and heads to a replay.

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Ballygunner 2-19
Abbeyside 0-13

Tomas McCarthy reports from Dungarvan

PAURIC MAHONY SUPPLIED thirteen points as Ballygunner raised the News & Star cup for the fifth year in-a-row at a blustery Fraher Field this afternoon.

The Gunners talisman was a major doubt before the match with a back injury but was deemed fit to start and plagued the Abbeyside back line throughout. The undisputed man of the match sourced eight points from frees and five from open play. The 26 year old completed the Waterford SHC with a total of 2-66.

Mahony’s move to full forward was a significant switch during the first half. They led by three at the break after facing a stiff breeze and second half strikes by Conor Power and Brian O’Sullivan wrapped up a seventeenth county title.

Abbeyside finished with fourteen men after Patrick Hurney’s straight red card on 45 minutes. The Gunners outscored them 2-10 to 0-7 across the second period. Mark Ferncombe was a constant threat on the losing side and ended up with 0-8 for the day and 2-45 for the championship.

Six Mahony points left the favourites 0-9 to 0-6 in front at halfway. Abbeyside skipper David Collins won the toss and opted to play with the elements initially. 4,275 spectators crammed into Fraher Field as the Villagers appeared in their first final for ten years.

The underdogs made a dream start via Ferncombe after thirteen seconds. Patrick Hurney added a second a minute later. They shot seven costly wides during the first quarter however.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Two Mahony frees tied it up before Brian O’Sullivan supplied Barry O’Sullivan for the lead score on fifteen minutes. Maurice Power equalised immediately. Stephen O’Keeffe then dived at the feet of Hurney when Abbeyside sniffed a goal. Ferncombe slotted two frees to regain the lead.

Mahony then drifted into the edge of the square and four points (three from play) resulted. Brian O’Sullivan and Billy O’Keefe also obliged in a spell where the champions hit six in a row. The hard working John Hurney claimed Abbeyside’s first point for thirteen minutes.

Ferncombe struck first again for Peter Queally’s side 43 seconds into the second half. Mahony reacted with three frees at the other end. On 40 minutes, Tim O’Sullivan rounded John Elstead and offloaded to older brother Brian who slipped the ball low under Stephen Enright (1-12 to 0-7). A Mahony free extended the margin to nine. Ferncombe produced another spectacular point from an acute angle as he wriggled free from Barry Coughlan.

Thomas Walsh dismissed Patrick Hurney with fifteen minutes left for interference with Philip Mahony’s helmet. Conor Power belted home a second goal for the leaders on 50 minutes after he collected a Tim O’Sullivan delivery.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

In the dying moments, Stephen O’Keeffe pulled off a full length save from Abbeyside sub Michael O’Halloran who mustered two consolation points. Sub keeper Paddy Cooke replaced O’Keeffe at the end as Fergal Hartley emptied the bench.

Ballygunner will encounter Cork side Midleton in the Munster club quarter final on October 28.

Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-13 (8fs), Brian O’Sullivan 1-3, Conor Power 1-0, Billy O’Keeffe, Barry O’Sullivan, Michael Mahony 0-1 each.

Scorers for Abbeyside: Mark Ferncombe 0-8 (3fs, 1 65), Michael O’Halloran 0-2, Maurice Power, John Hurney, Patrick Hurney 0-1 each.

Ballygunner

1. Stephen O’Keeffe

2. Eddie Hayden
3. Barry Coughlan
4. Ian Kenny

6. Wayne Hutchinson
5. Philip Mahony
8. Harley Barnes

9. Shane O’Sullivan
15. Michael Mahony

7. Billy O’Keeffe
11. Pauric Mahony
10. Barry O’Sullivan

12. Tim O’Sullivan
14. Brian O’Sullivan
13. Conor Power

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Subs

21. JJ Hutchinson for Billy O’Keeffe (48)
24. Conor Sheehan for Michael Mahony (59)
22. Barry Power for Wayne Hutchinson (61)
16. Paddy Cooke for Stephen O’Keeffe (63)
19. Mark Mullally for Conor Power (64)

Abbeyside

1. Stephen Enright

4. John Elstead
2. Brian Looby
7. Darragh McGrath

8. James Beresford
6. David Collins
3. Sean O’Hare

5. Conor Prunty
9. Maurice Power

13. Patrick Hurney
15. Tiernan Murray
10. Neil Montgomery

11. John Hurney
14. Mark Ferncombe
12. Sean Whelan-Barrett

Subs

23. Richie Foley for Murray (H-T)
18. Tom Looby for O’Hare (H-T)
21. Michael O’Halloran for Whelan-Barrett (42)
20. Mark Twomey for Elstead (56)
22. Eoin Kiely for Montgomery (58)

Referee: Thomas Walsh

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ELEVEN POINTS FROM Stephen Sherlock saw St Finbarr’s through to a second straight Cork SFC final as they overcame Carbery Rangers in Sunday’s semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The 2016 champions had looked well in control as they led by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time, John O’Rourke scoring two while Sherlock had all of the Barrs’ scores, but the second half was a complete turnaround.

While points from Alan Jennings and Jerry O’Riordan kept the Rosscarbery side in front as Ian Maguire, Colin Lyons and Eoghan McGreevey had scores for the Barrs, four in a row from Sherlock around the three-quarter mark put the southsiders in front for the first time and they wouldn’t cede the advantage after that.

Though John Hayes ended a 14-minue scoreless spell for Ross, Michael Shields and Eoghan Finn extended the lead for the Barrs and Sherlock had two late points after Mark Hodnett had reduced the deficit to a point.

St Finbarr’s will have to wait until next weekend to find out their opponents in the decider after Castlehaven staged a remarkable fightback to draw 0-15 each with Duhallow in the first semi-final at Cork GAA headquarters.

Despite not sparkling, the Haven managed to draw level at 0-5 each by half-time thanks to late points from Michael Hurley and Seán Dineen, but the north-western divisional side got firmly on top after the resumption.

Points from Eoghan McSweeney, Séamus Hickey, Donncha O’Connor and Anthony O’Connor moved them into a 0-15 to 0-8 lead with four minutes of normal time left, the Haven down to 14 men by that stage.

However, seven straight points – four from Mark Collins, who finished with nine, and one each by Damien Cahalane, Brian Hurley and sub James Davis, who got the 67^th-minute equaliser, ensured that the sides must meet again.

Cork senior football semi-final results

Duhallow 0-15 Castlehaven 0-15
St Finbarr’s 0-15 Carbery Rangers 0-12

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TOMÁS MCCANN BURIED a goal from a 13-metre free with the last kick of the game to hand Erin’s Own, Cargin a one-point Antrim SFC semi-final win over St Gall’s.

Cargin’s match-winner Tomas McCann

Source: Antrim GAA

After a thrilling game of football, Cargin edged into the final on a scoreline of 2-17 to 4-10.

The great rivals have won 18 of the last 19 county titles between them, with Lámh Dhearg’s victory last year the first time since 1998 that a club outside of Cargin and St Gall’s lifted the crown.

Goal and Cargin win ! pic.twitter.com/EdOmWE57yy

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) October 6, 2018

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The sides were level at 2-5 to 0-11 at the interval, with Michael Pollock and the impressive CJ McGourty, who finished with 1-6, the St Gall’s goalscorers.

The 2014 champions added a further two goals in the four minutes after the restart through Niall O’Neill and Kieran McGourty to lead by six.

Michael Magill brought his tally to 0-4 and set-up a goal for Jamie Gribbin as Cargin surged back into the game. Eoghan McCabe and Pollock added scores while Kevin Niblock continued to cause trouble in the Cargin attack. 

Conor Small goal pic.twitter.com/QEHaZPtN70

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) October 7, 2018

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Trailing by two points in the 65th minute, Michael McCann was fouled and Tomás stepped up to bury his strike past county keeper Chris Kerr and into the roof of the net.

Cargin will take on Kickhams Creggan in a novel final pairing. Creggan booked their first appearance in the decider since 1977 after a 2-9 to 1-10 win over Naomh Eoin.

41 years since @KickhamsCreggan reached the SFC final ! 1977 pic.twitter.com/88QzbeNeA0

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) October 7, 2018

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Antrim hurler Conor McCann starred at midfield for the victors, while Sam Maguire and Conor Small (penalty) hit the all-important goals.

Conor Small goal pic.twitter.com/QEHaZPtN70

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) October 7, 2018

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St John’s, who were beaten in last year’s decider, had a strong side featuring county footballers Patrick McBride and Matthew Fitzpatrick but their challenge fell just short.

Kickhams will take on Cregin as they bid to win their first senior football title in 64 years.

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TWO OF CORK’S back-to-back All-Ireland champions and one of beaten finalists Kilkenny’s star players will battle it out for the title of senior Player of the Year.

Dalton, Sigerson and Cotter all made the cut.

Rebels duo Chloe Sigerson and Orla Cotter and Kilkenny stalwart Anne Dalton have all been nominated for the Camogie Association/WGPA Players’ Player of the Year accolade.

Sigerson, a Soaring Star as an intermediate player in 2016, was pivotal in the half-back line as Paudie Murray’s charges retained the O’Duffy Cup this year.

The Killeagh defender specialises in long-range shooting and showed her class in Croke Park with three excellent frees, one of those a late one.

Chloe Sigerson

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Likewise, Cotter — Player of the Match in the final — held her nerve and nailed a 61st-minute free to settle the decider as Cork were one-point winners.

The seven-time All-Ireland winner and five-time All-Star was once again central for her side this year, although the 30-year-old did miss some championship action while on honeymoon.

Cotter’s match-winning free.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Dalton meanwhile is on the shortlist once again — she was there last year alongside Rena Buckley and Ashling Thompson. The 2016 All-Ireland champion won All-Star awards in 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

In the intermediate grade, Cork duo Amy Lee and Saoirse McCarthy and Niamh Mallon of Down are in the running while Dublin stars Deirdre Johnstone and Caragh Dawson join Kerry’s Patrice Diggins on the shortlist for Premier Junior Player of the Year.

Cork also won the intermediate title.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

Players who are members of an inter-county panel this season will now vote on the Player of the Year award based on the final shortlists, by email to WGPA or by a vote online, before Friday 26 October.

The award winners will be announced at the All-Stars banquet on Saturday 3 November.

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CIAN LYNCH DOESN’T drink, so it’s fair to say he probably remembers more of Limerick’s Liam MacCarthy Cup celebrations than a fair few of his team-mates. 

“I see too much,” he laughs. 

Source: Cian Lynch/INPHO

The 22-year-old is unique in that he is a teetotaler and a devout Catholic, attending mass on a weekly basis at home in Patrickswell. 

The urge to drink was never there as a youngster, with Lynch instead preferring to hone his skills on the sporting field. 

“I never got into the whole thing. When I was 15 or 16 and other lads were testing it, I would have been playing soccer or hurling. I’d have been hitting the ball off the wall and I wouldn’t find a reason to go have a drink. I’d always go for a puck, and meet the lads down the road and hit a few balls.

“It’s what you’re introduced to or what you choose. It was my own choice, nobody ever told me not to drink I just never got into it. It could have been a different story if I got into it, it’s just different paths in life.

“It is hard in that sense, nobody would ever text you saying, ‘Would you come down for a pint?’ The black sheep. I still go out, Jesus, I go out as much as anyone, I’d stay out till all hours of the night but I think it’s ideal to be able to hop into the car then and drive home.

“It is hard at times, you’re in a pub all day, and the lads are all drinking – it is hard to try and stay there and stay a part of the craic. But sure when lads are drunk they don’t know what’s going on so you can sneak away whenever.”

Source: TommyDickson/INPHO

There are certain images from the hours and days following the All-Ireland victory seared into his brain. 

The day after the final, the team arrived off the train in Limerick’s Colbert Station on to an unexpected crowd. “We knew the Gaelic Grounds was going to be packed but to see the people’s faces – old people crying and kids bawling their eyes out. It kind of puts it all into perspective and what it means to the people of Limerick.”

Bringing the MacCarthy Cup out in front of thousands of people in the Gaelic Grounds was another unforgettable rush. “To hear Dolores O’Riordan’s song playing all over it was just special,” he says. “Words can’t really describe what it felt like. It was unreal.”

And of course, there was the famous hug he shared with his mother on the field shortly after the final whistle, what he describes as a “moment of safety” as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Your parents are always that safeguard. People forget that without families a lot of this wouldn’t be possible.”

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Lynch’s strong faith comes from his family too. His mother Valeria, is sister of Treaty legend Ciaran Carey, His father, Seán, is a Tipperary native from the Loughmore Castleiney club.

“We don’t say that too loudly now around,” he jokes about his Premier roots. 

In an era when young adults are turning away from religion in their droves, Lynch finds that his Catholic faith helps keep him grounded in the good times and the bad. 

“There are six of us in my family, my father and mother brought us to mass every Sunday. If it was a feast day, we’d be in mass to celebrate it or we might say a few prayers. But every Sunday, I’d be down for mass.

“If it’s down to Ballybrown for 10am mass or Patrickswell for 11.30am mass, I’d be there. For me, it’s a bit of a structure in my life. When you’re on massive highs from winning or when you’re on a massive low, I say a few prayers or go to mass and it kind of brings me to level ground.

“If I could go I’d go the day of the game, but even if we were meeting early I’d go the night before. I’d be saying a few prayers at night anyway.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“I suppose it makes me prepared for the highs and lows that come with the game and mentally I think it’s great to be able to offload and that safeguard too. It comes back to family, going to mass from an early age and having structures in place.

“Our local parish priest, father Michael Cussen and Eamon Fitzgibbon – they’re A1, they’d be down at the house once a week to call in, to make sure we’re all going well. They’re mad about the hurling too.

“In all walks of life, when you’re going from massive highs – like this year, huge highs of winning an All-Ireland, then you come back to the club, you might lose – you’re back down to a low then.

“It’s just how you deal with that. For me, it’s that community spirit, going to mass or whatever. You’re inside in the church, it’s a bit of a grounding.”

The focus has turned back to club action for Lynch in recent weeks as his Patrickswell side face Doon in the Limerick SHC semi-final this weekend. Fellow Limerick stars Aaron Gillane and Diarmuid Byrnes are club-mates, while they’ll be going up against county team-mates Pat Ryan, Darragh O’Donovan, Barry Murphy and Richie English.

Cian Lynch, Roz Purcell and Nikki Evans have partnered with Bord Bia to celebrate World Egg Day as part of the Quality Assured Eggs Campaign

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

“When you’re back to your club you’re all about your club and it doesn’t matter who’s in the other team,” he says. “You could be their best friend inside with Limerick but when you’re wearing your local club colours you’re going out and you’d die for the crest. It’s great, a good bit of craic too.”

The Hurler of the Year nominee finished his undergraduate teaching degree in Mary I at the start of the summer and plans to work for a year before pursuing his Masters. 

“I decided I’ll take the year out, maybe work away. I’m tipping away on a construction site there with a lad down the road so it’ll keep me going, a bit of extra gym work. I might go back then and do the teaching next year.”

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1. Exit for the All-Ireland champions in Parnell Park

That losing feeling when the stakes are highest has become unfamiliar to the Cuala hurlers. Their comeback fell just short in the Dublin semi-final yesterday against Kilmacud Crokes, marking a first knockout defeat since November 2015 when they lost the Leinster final against Oulart-the-Ballagh and the first reversal in a Dublin knockout tie since Ballyboden overturned them by a point in the 2014 county semi-final.

It’s been a glorious run of late that has yielded a handsome treasure trove from their county, provincial and national hurling exploits. Their loss opens the door for Kilmacud or Ballyboden to make a statement in Dublin while simultaneously changing the dynamic further beyond as the Leinster and All-Ireland club scene will start to take shape in the coming weeks.

2. Changing of the guard in Tipperary

The theme of an era of rule ending also came to pass in Tipperary yesterday. With seven of the last nine county titles to their credit and bidding for five-in-a-row in 2018, these statistics offered persuasive evidence of how much of a scalp it was that Nenagh Éire Óg claimed in disposing of the kingpins Thurles Sarsfields. Unlike their quarter-final the previous week, a slow start this time put paid to the aspirations of the champions despite the stirring fightback they produced late on.

It sets up a novel showpiece, Nenagh aiming to end a 23-year drought and Clonoulty hoping to halt a 21-year barren spell. Between them the pair have lost seven county finals over the last two decades. There will be a momentous breakthrough for one of them on 21 October.

3. Ballygunner to shift aim to Munster

The expected outcome at the Fraher Field, Ballygunner’s grip on Waterford hurling showing no sign of wavering. Five-in-a-row is a feat they will cherish, the latest success arriving after a 12-point dismissal of an Abbeyside outfit chasing their maiden crown. That followed a 25-point victory in their semi-final crushing of Passage and means Ballygunner have smashed the hopes of five different clubs on county final day since 2014.

With their superiority in Waterford now confirmed, the trick is to translate that to the Munster stage. Ballygunner have only once won their provincial title – back in 2001 – and have been runner-up (8 times) in a final more than any other club. Having lost two of the last three deciders, the current crop will be gearing up for a title at getting over the line in Munster.

Ballygunner players celebrate after their county final success.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

4. Familiar look to Limerick’s final four

Limerick have installed a new ‘Super Six’ group stage hurling format this year for their senior hurling championship but have ended up with a final four that has a familiar look to it. Na Piarsaigh, Doon, Kilmallock and Patrickswell comprise the quartet after the latter pair won their quarter-final ties yesterday.

It’s the top four from Group 1 of the round-robin stage and the same teams that featured in last year’s semi-finals. Na Piarsaigh, Patrickswell and Kilmallock have won the eight titles between them, while Doon chase a first final showing since 2000 with four Limerick All-Ireland winners in their ranks and a plethora of recent underage titles. The repeat of last year’s decider as Na Piarsaigh take on Kilmallock is the standout of next Sunday’s semi-finals.

5. Clare’s novelty continues to shine through

Having produced ten champions in the last 14 seasons, the intensely competitive nature of the Clare senior hurling scene is striking. Ballyea and Cratloe confirmed their passage to this year’s final over the weekend, and while both are recent champions, they still represent a novel pairing.

Ballyea won their first ever title two years ago with Cratloe’s inaugural crown arriving in 2009 and they picked up another in 2014. It’s the first time the duo will have faced off against each other in a decider. With eight players involved who have had Clare senior hurling experience of late, there’ll be plenty talent on show.

6. Leinster finalists fall in Offaly

Cuala were not the only major force in Leinster club hurling circles to be toppled at the weekend. Kilcormac-Killoughey were provincial champions in 2013 while they contested deciders in 2015 and last December.

That’s a decent body of work to put together yet they couldn’t quite manage to get over the line in Offaly yesterday, edged aside on final day by Coolderry, the other club who have dominated in that county of late. Coolderry have now won four titles since 2010 and with a bunch of players still around from the 2012 All-Ireland club decider, they won’t lack experience as they embark on the Leinster circuit.

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PETER KEANE HAS been tonight appointed as the new manager of the Kerry senior footballers on a three-year term.

Kerry All-Ireland minor winning boss Peter Keane.

Source: Inpho

Keane’s appointment was officially confirmed tonight at a meeting of the Kerry county board.

His management team of Donie Buckley, Maurice Fitzgerald, Tommy Griffin and James Foley has also been announced. 

It had been widely expected that the Cahersiveen native would be handed the role and his appointment was rubber-stamped after county chairman Tim Murphy proposed him to club delegates.

It fills a vacancy that has risen in Kerry since Eamonn Fitzmaurice stepped down after the clash with Kildare in early August, a game that saw them secure a victory but still bow out at the Super 8s stage of the All-Ireland senior football championship.

Fitzmaurice had been in charge for the last six campaigns, winning the Munster championship each season and claiming the All-Ireland title in 2014. 

Former Kerry football boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Keane has developed a brilliant track record at underage level. He took over the Kerry minor side at the start of the 2016 campaign, steering them to three Munster and All-Ireland minor titles since then. 

Before that he guided his native St Mary’s to the All-Ireland junior title in 2011 and Killarney Legion to the Kerry county senior decider in 2015.

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BRIAN CODY HAS been confirmed as the Kilkenny senior hurling manager for 2019, the country announced on Monday night. 

The 64-year-old has been in charge of the Cats since 1998 and is the county’s longest serving and most successful manager.

Cody has won 11 All-Ireland hurling titles over the last two decades, collecting 15 Leinster Championships and nine National Hurling Leagues.

The Kilkenny county board announced on Monday that Derek Lyng and James McGarry will continue as selectors and Michael Dempsey will continue as trainer again next year alongside Cody for 2019.

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Kilkenny have not won the Liam MacCarthy Cup since 2015, exiting the Championship last summer by two points at the hands of Limerick in the quarter-finals at Semple Stadium in July.

“The board wishes Brian and his [management] team every success in the year ahead,” a statement said on Monday.

– Updated 17.20, 12 October: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Brian Cody has won 11 Leinster senior hurling titles as Kilkenny manager; he has won 15.

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