WEDNESDAY EVENING MARKS the beginning of the Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling championship, with two big quarter-finals down for decision.
Champions Limerick visit Páirc Uí Rinn for a showdown with hosts Cork while last year’s runners-up Waterford are in Thurles to meet Tipperary.
Here, we take a look at six players to watch over the course of two eagerly-anticipated fixtures:
1. Paddy O’Loughlin (Limerick)
O’Loughlin is one of six survivors from the team that started last year’s All-Ireland minor final in the Limerick line-up to face Cork in Wednesday’s Electric Ireland Munster quarter-final. O’Loughlin scored a goal for Kilmallock in the All-Ireland club hurling semi-final victory over Portaferry and also came off the bench in the St Patrick’s Day defeat to Ballyhale Shamrock.
Paddy is the youngest of three brother on the Kilmallock senior team, with Philip and Mark stationed in defence. Paddy’s paternal grandfather David B O’Loughlin won six senior international rugby caps and his maternal grandfather Paddy Collins was one of the founder members of the Kilmacud Crokes club in Dublin.
2. Alan Tynan (Tipperary)
History was created at the RDS last month when Cistercian College, Roscrea, won their very first Leinster schools senior cup rugby crown. And after starring in that triumph, Alan Tynan will now turn his attentions to hurling as Tipperary go in search of a first provincial minor crown since 2012.
Tynan will line out at full-forward against Waterford on Wednesday evening, bringing obviously physicality to the Premier County’s inside line. Tynan lined out for Tipperary’s minor hurlers and footballers in 2014 and at club level he was man of the match for Inane Rovers in the county junior A football final victory over Sean Treacy’s.
3. Ciaran Cormack (Cork)
Cormack is one of the Rochestown contingent on the Cork team to face Limerick. The Blackrock player featured for St Francis College as they contested both the Dr. Harty Cup and Corn Uí Mhuirí finals in hurling and football this year. Unfortunately, Rochestown were beaten in both but Cormack managed to score 1-6 in the Harty Cup final defeat to Thurles CBS, including a sensational solo goal in the first half.
Cormack also netted in the drawn Corn Uí Mhuirí decider against Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, but the Kerry boys won the replay. Cormack is a prolific scorer from play and placed balls and Limerick’s defence will need to keep tabs on the full-forward.
4. Andy Molumby (Waterford)
Molumby is a former captain of the Waterford U16 soccer team but is making his mark as an emerging young hurler. A survivor from last year’s minor squad, Molumby won an AIB Munster intermediate club hurling medal with Cappoquin-Affane last year, before the Déise representatives lost the All-Ireland semi-final against Antrim’s O’Donovan Rossa earlier this year.
Unfortunately, Molumby was sent off for two yellow cards in that clash and he’ll be anxious to kickstart his 2015 campaign against Tipperary in Thurles. Molumby, renowned as a hard-as-nails type player, hurled at Harty Cup level with Blackwater CS.
5. Enda Heffernan (Tipperary)
Clonoulty-Rossmore player Heffernan is aiming to bounce back from weekend disappointment when Tipperary begin their campaign against Waterford in Thurles. Heffernan was full-back on the Thurles CBS team defeated by St Kieran’s in the Croke Cup decider and will line out at left corner back for his county against the visiting Déise.
Heffernan won divisional U21 honours with his club last year and it was very much a family affair last Saturday as he played on the same team as brother Ronan and cousin Niall on the Thurles CBS team. Heffernan was also a member of the 2014 Tipperary minor squad.
6. Shane Kingston (Cork)
Kingston and sidekick Ciaran Cormack formed a potent attacking double act for St Francis College Rochestown in their march to Munster post primary schools hurling and football finals this year. And Kingston, son of former Cork senior hurling team coach Kieran, scored 1-3 against Limerick in last year’s Munster minor championship.
Kingston is also an accomplished footballer and seasoned followers of local fare in Cork will remember his display against St Finbarr’s in a Premier 1 minor football championship decider in 2013. He will captain the Cork minor hurlers as they go in search of a first provincial title in this grade since 2008.
