AFTER THE LAST four All-Ireland club finals finished as one-sided contests, it was anticipated this clash between the last two champions would be a close affair.
And so it transpired.
Cuala, the holders, and 2016 champions Na Piarsaigh were level nine times throughout this dramatic contest and even extra-time couldn’t separate them.
When man-of-the-match David Dempsey was interviewed by TG4 on the field shortly after the final whistle of the 2-19 to 1-22 draw, the disappointment was etched all over his face.
It was understandable. His 74th-minute point in the second period of extra-time looked like it would seal the Na Piarsaigh’s second All-Ireland in three years, before David Treacy’s 12th free of the afternoon sent the game to a replay.
It was the second time Cuala pulled the game out of the fire in injury-time. They trailed by three, 1-16 to 0-16, at the end of normal time when Colm Cronin was fouled on the 20m line.
Cuala’s regular placed ball shooter Treacy didn’t step-up, instead they gave the sliotar to centre-back Sean Moran whose rising shot was deflected into the net by the hurley of keeper Podge Kennedy.
It was a game that ebbed and flowed with the deadly free-taking of Treacy and Shane Dowling pivotal for their respective sides.
But Dowling’s missed free in the 61st minute stopped Na Piarsaigh from opening up a four-point cushion and left just enough time for Cuala to level the game through Moran.
It was an absorbing contest, played out in freezing conditions in Croke Park. Con O’Callaghan was well marshalled by Mike Casey and an organised Na Piarsaigh rearguard, but Cuala’s scorers were spread out with 10 of their starters on the scoresheet. That included David Treacy’s 0-12 (all frees) and Sean Treacy’s excellent haul of three points from midfield.
Adrian Breen and Kevin Downes scored 0-4 apiece in the Na Piarsaigh full-forward line, while David Breen hit 1-1 and Shane Dowling fired over 0-6, including four frees.
This was the first draw in the final of this competition in 23 years, after Birr and Dunloy finished level on 0-9 apiece back in 1995. The Offaly side won the second game comfortably, pulling away on a scoreline of 3-13 to 2-3.
In recent seasons the victors have won comfortably. Cuala beat Ballyea by 12 last March, while Na Piarsaigh saw off Ruairí Óg, Cushendall by 11 points the year before.
In 2015 Ballyhale Shamrocks had 12 points to spare against Kilmallock, while Portumna saw off Mount Leinster Rangers by eight in 2014.
In fact, the 18 finals that took place since 2000 have been decided by an average margin of 8.1 points.
Cuala could still become the eighth club side in either hurling or football to claim back-to-back All-Ireland crowns, while Na Piarisagh are hoping to move up to joint-seventh in the All-Ireland roll of honour.
Bring on the replay.
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