WHEN TIME RAN out of Clare’s challenge a fortnight ago in Croke Park, it not only extinguished their interest in this hurling season.
It also marked the close of one of the most compelling individual careers. Shane O’Donnell had revealed in the build-up to the game, as widely suspected, that the 2026 campaign would be his last on the inter-county stage. Clare’s semi-final loss confirmed the end of the line had been reached.
He concluded in Croke Park, the scene where he had burst to life in such dazzling fashion 13 years previous, the teenager who justified his wildcard selection for an All-Ireland final replay when he bagged 3-3 as Clare handed off Cork.
It maintained a theme of left field stars around that period in hurling. Twelve months previous, Walter Walsh was the Kilkenny bolt from the blue, crowning his senior debut with 1-3 and the individual accolade as his side swept to the All-Ireland honours in a replay win over Galway. The 2014 decider saw Kieran Joyce bestowed with the man-of-the-match award, a towering figure at the heart of the Kilkenny defence, and another example of the trend of players that didn’t start drawn encounters, shaking off that peripheral status to dominate replays.
Clare's Tony Kelly. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Advertisement
Tipperary's Ronan Maher. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
In latter times, the recognition has gone to some leading lights. Ronan Maher (2025) and Tony Kelly (2024) affirmed their captaincy status with performances of great influence. Limerick’s previous three triumphs saw Cian Lynch (2021), Gearoid Hegarty (2022) and Peter Casey (2023) rewarded for their brilliant performances.
The 2026 instalment may well be dominated by the expected influences. A star close to goal like Galway’s emerging Jason Rabbitte or Limerick’s established Aaron Gillane. The creative wizards around the middle like Lynch or Cathal Mannion. The long-serving driving forces in attack like Hegarty or Conor Whelan. The powerful operators in the half-back line like Diarmaid Byrnes or Padraic Mannion.
But perhaps it will be someone new to this environment, in the midst of a rich vein of form this summer, who was central to the semi-final success and poised to ignite on the final day.
Tom Monaghan has plenty experience to his name, a squad member on the Galway sides that contested the 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland finals. Aidan O’Connor has been knocking around the Limerick squad for a few years now, an unused substitute for the 2023 triumph at the expense of Kilkenny. Today neither will be restricted to bench time from the off. They are starters, vital to their respective team’s cause, and set for their first taste of All-Ireland senior final day on the pitch.
Tom Monaghan in action for Galway in the semi-final against Cork. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Monaghan’s career path has been a curious one. If there is the touch of the overnight sensation about him given his dazzling form this summer, it’s worth noting it is nine years since he made his senior championship bow against Dublin. That 2017 season was an All-Ireland winning one for Galway, Monaghan an unused substitute, just like he was in the decider with Limerick 12 months later.
He had been centre-forward on the Galway minor side that collected an All-Ireland title in 2015, graduating quickly to the senior setup and experiencing a golden final moment instantly. The ensuing years a reminder of the unforgiving nature of inter-county hurling, cut from the squad at one stage, before being reinstated during Henry Shefflin’s time in charge.
Galway’s experienced core of Daithi Burke, the Mannion brothers, Conor Whelan and Conor Cooney get most attention for their longevity, but Monaghan also fits into that bracket. He has endured and been rewarded.
Entering this final he stands as Galway’s second top scorer, having contributed 1-25 to date this season. When you consider his entire championship scoring tally in Galway colours was 1-52 before this campaign, it is clear why this has been a breakout summer. The Leinster final provided the standout performance as he clipped over seven points from play, a showing that secured him the man-of-the-match award, and he raised four white flags last time out against Cork.
Tom Monaghan leads Galway's Leinster title winning celebrations. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
His elusive nature has caused difficulties for opposition rearguards, ghosting into spaces and proving hard to track. His accuracy and positioning has yielded scores central to Galway’s charge. It’s been quite an upswing in form for a player who didn’t start Galway’s opening three ties in Leinster. Pinning him down is a key task for Limerick today.
On the other side, Galway have their own half-forward line question to answer. Aidan O’Connor only made his senior championship debut in the Limerick ranks in 2024 against Clare, two years after shooting 0-10 when suffering an All-Ireland U20 final loss against Kilkenny. He netted in last year’s epic Munster final against Cork, yet his overall scoring record stood at 1-7 entering this season’s championship.
This season he has achieved lift-off, amassing 4-48 in scores. There have been notable goals – one against Clare in Ennis, a brace at home to Tipperary, and most significantly of all, he crept inside the Clare rearguard to read the flight of the ball perfectly in injury-time a fortnight ago, before smashing home the game-breaking score.
Aidan O'Connor celebrates his goal for Limerick against Clare. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
But being entrusted with free-taking duties has swelled O’Connor’s figures further. On occasion this year his striking has cracked – against Cork in the league final and again in the Munster decider – yet he showed the composure and reliability needed last time out, nailing nine frees on an afternoon when Limerick found scores hard to come by. His demonstration of leadership was vital and his capacity to move between 11 and 14 in the central channel of the attack is valuable.
The Ballybrown man has grown in stature in the Limerick ranks, just as his Craughwell equivalent has done for Galway.
Related Reads
Galway's quiet man: the rise and rise of Daithí Burke
Sliding Doors moment from 2018 final changed the face of hurling
On the biggest day in the hurling calendar, both are poised to perform.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
The unsung forward heroes for Galway and Limerick, ready to cap off brilliant summers
WHEN TIME RAN out of Clare’s challenge a fortnight ago in Croke Park, it not only extinguished their interest in this hurling season.
It also marked the close of one of the most compelling individual careers. Shane O’Donnell had revealed in the build-up to the game, as widely suspected, that the 2026 campaign would be his last on the inter-county stage. Clare’s semi-final loss confirmed the end of the line had been reached.
He concluded in Croke Park, the scene where he had burst to life in such dazzling fashion 13 years previous, the teenager who justified his wildcard selection for an All-Ireland final replay when he bagged 3-3 as Clare handed off Cork.
It maintained a theme of left field stars around that period in hurling. Twelve months previous, Walter Walsh was the Kilkenny bolt from the blue, crowning his senior debut with 1-3 and the individual accolade as his side swept to the All-Ireland honours in a replay win over Galway. The 2014 decider saw Kieran Joyce bestowed with the man-of-the-match award, a towering figure at the heart of the Kilkenny defence, and another example of the trend of players that didn’t start drawn encounters, shaking off that peripheral status to dominate replays.
In latter times, the recognition has gone to some leading lights. Ronan Maher (2025) and Tony Kelly (2024) affirmed their captaincy status with performances of great influence. Limerick’s previous three triumphs saw Cian Lynch (2021), Gearoid Hegarty (2022) and Peter Casey (2023) rewarded for their brilliant performances.
The 2026 instalment may well be dominated by the expected influences. A star close to goal like Galway’s emerging Jason Rabbitte or Limerick’s established Aaron Gillane. The creative wizards around the middle like Lynch or Cathal Mannion. The long-serving driving forces in attack like Hegarty or Conor Whelan. The powerful operators in the half-back line like Diarmaid Byrnes or Padraic Mannion.
But perhaps it will be someone new to this environment, in the midst of a rich vein of form this summer, who was central to the semi-final success and poised to ignite on the final day.
Tom Monaghan has plenty experience to his name, a squad member on the Galway sides that contested the 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland finals. Aidan O’Connor has been knocking around the Limerick squad for a few years now, an unused substitute for the 2023 triumph at the expense of Kilkenny. Today neither will be restricted to bench time from the off. They are starters, vital to their respective team’s cause, and set for their first taste of All-Ireland senior final day on the pitch.
Monaghan’s career path has been a curious one. If there is the touch of the overnight sensation about him given his dazzling form this summer, it’s worth noting it is nine years since he made his senior championship bow against Dublin. That 2017 season was an All-Ireland winning one for Galway, Monaghan an unused substitute, just like he was in the decider with Limerick 12 months later.
He had been centre-forward on the Galway minor side that collected an All-Ireland title in 2015, graduating quickly to the senior setup and experiencing a golden final moment instantly. The ensuing years a reminder of the unforgiving nature of inter-county hurling, cut from the squad at one stage, before being reinstated during Henry Shefflin’s time in charge.
Galway’s experienced core of Daithi Burke, the Mannion brothers, Conor Whelan and Conor Cooney get most attention for their longevity, but Monaghan also fits into that bracket. He has endured and been rewarded.
Entering this final he stands as Galway’s second top scorer, having contributed 1-25 to date this season. When you consider his entire championship scoring tally in Galway colours was 1-52 before this campaign, it is clear why this has been a breakout summer. The Leinster final provided the standout performance as he clipped over seven points from play, a showing that secured him the man-of-the-match award, and he raised four white flags last time out against Cork.
His elusive nature has caused difficulties for opposition rearguards, ghosting into spaces and proving hard to track. His accuracy and positioning has yielded scores central to Galway’s charge. It’s been quite an upswing in form for a player who didn’t start Galway’s opening three ties in Leinster. Pinning him down is a key task for Limerick today.
On the other side, Galway have their own half-forward line question to answer. Aidan O’Connor only made his senior championship debut in the Limerick ranks in 2024 against Clare, two years after shooting 0-10 when suffering an All-Ireland U20 final loss against Kilkenny. He netted in last year’s epic Munster final against Cork, yet his overall scoring record stood at 1-7 entering this season’s championship.
This season he has achieved lift-off, amassing 4-48 in scores. There have been notable goals – one against Clare in Ennis, a brace at home to Tipperary, and most significantly of all, he crept inside the Clare rearguard to read the flight of the ball perfectly in injury-time a fortnight ago, before smashing home the game-breaking score.
But being entrusted with free-taking duties has swelled O’Connor’s figures further. On occasion this year his striking has cracked – against Cork in the league final and again in the Munster decider – yet he showed the composure and reliability needed last time out, nailing nine frees on an afternoon when Limerick found scores hard to come by. His demonstration of leadership was vital and his capacity to move between 11 and 14 in the central channel of the attack is valuable.
The Ballybrown man has grown in stature in the Limerick ranks, just as his Craughwell equivalent has done for Galway.
On the biggest day in the hurling calendar, both are poised to perform.
*****
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Aidan O'Connor GAA Galway Hurling Hurling Final Limerick On the rise Tom Monaghan