1. Contrasting schedules for Munster finalists
Better to be battle-hardened or fresh? That is the question before Sunday’s decider at Cusack Park in Ennis as Sixmilebridge and Na Piarsaigh cross paths.
Clare’s glorious hurling summer left Sixmilebridge’s players idle yet they have packed a lot of hurling in since early October. Sunday will be their seventh championship game since October 5th.
They’ve had three tough examinations already in November in the Clare semi-final, the Clare final and the Munster semi-final. It’s been a test of endurance yet they do have precious momentum and a steely resolve.
In contrast Na Piarsaigh played the Limerick county final on October 6th, overcame Loughmore-Castleiney three weeks later and then a fortnight ago surmounted the challenge of Passage. They’ve had neat gaps between games to fit their training schedule around. Will that help them fly from the traps on Sunday?
2. The significance of a clean sheet in Ennis
Scan over Sixmilebridge’s journey to Sunday and there is a clear feature to their recent wins. With just one goal conceded in their last four games, the importance of a defence where Aidan Quilligan, Caimin Morey and Paidí Fitzpatrick have excelled, is noticeable.
They kept clean sheets in their three knockout games on route to winning the Clare title. Conor Lehane’s skilful batted strike for Midleton last Sunday was the first goal Sixmilebridge had shipped since the group stages in Clare.
Na Piarsaigh’s attack contains plenty of threats who will pose problems for Sixmilebridge but they have shown a track record of holding teams out. At the other end, Na Piarsaigh need to be tighter.
They leaked two goals when facing a Loughmore-Castleiney team that had a player sent off at the start of the first-half and another at the start of the second-half. Then they conceded three to Waterford’s Passage, who also missed a penalty.
Having racked up 3-37 in their last two games, the scoring potential in this Na Piarsaigh team is undoubted. But conceding goals has let their recent Munster opponents stay close to them.
Na Piarsaigh team huddle.
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
3. Where do St Brigid’s stand?
St Brigid’s are bidding on Sunday to become the first club since their neighbours Clan na nGael to complete a four-in-a-row of Connacht senior club crowns. Clan na nGael are the benchmark as they won six successive titles between 1984 and 1989 but St Brigid’s deserve to be applauded for their achievements.
It’s tricky to gauge St Brigid’s standing though. This year they had seven points to spare over Tourlestrane before crushing St Mary’s by 22 points. Given that Sligo and Leitrim clubs do not generally make much of an impression in Connacht, the quality of St Brigid’s opponents must be factored in to the equation.
Castlebar Mitchels should pose a stiffer test on Sunday to the All-Ireland champions. But it’s worth remembering that St Brigid’s entered last year’s Connacht final on the back of two wins by an average of 11 points and triumphed in the decider by nine points.
4. Castlebar aim to thrive with the pressure off
Castlebar Mitchels recent final win in Mayo was a momentous one. For a club with their rich history, enduring a 20-year drought had been frustrating. Thus their 28th county senior title was one to cherish.
With the pressure off after that success, they thrived in their opening Connacht assignment a fortnight ago. Galway’s Corofin were overwhelming favourites and they opened brightly but Castlebar warmed to the task and dug out a merited win.
Free of the shackles of expectation, they aim to progress further. Twenty years after Castlebar Mitchels – captained then by Tom O’Reilly whose son Eoghan is in the current defence – won the Connacht title with a replay win over Clan na nGael, they’ll aim to defeat Roscommon opponents once more.
The Castlebar team before they faced Corofin.
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
5. St Vincent’s task to cope without suspended stars
When St Vincent’s finally got the better of Ballymun Kickhams after their two-game saga in the Dublin county final, they finished the game without Diarmuid Connolly after his second-half sending-off.
When they finally got the better of St Loman’s the following Sunday in their Leinster opener, they finished the game without Ger Brennan after his first-half sending-off. Now they enter Sunday’s Leinster semi-final against Summerhill stripped of two pillars of their team who were in the September spotlight with Dublin.
Their task is to cope without suspended stars but they still have figures to lead the way. Eamonn Fennell and Tomas Quinn are in a rich vein of form while the team as a collective have shown tremendous resolve. They’ll need all of those qualities if they are to get back to a Leinster final.
6. O’Moore Park contestants will have plenty of ambition
Moorefield and Portlaoise approach Sunday’s Leinster semi-final at O’Moore Park in similar fashions. Moorefield broke a 38-year barren run in 2000 when they won the Kildare county title and since then have added five more crowns. In 1999, Portlaoise ended an eight-year wait for a county senior title and have added nine crowns since then.
Both have had plenty exposure to Leinster campaigns as a result but trying to lift silverware or reach a final since then has been awkward. They have four final appearances between them since then and three titles – Portlaoise in 2004 and 2009, Moorefield in 2006.
But there is a level of regret at not enjoying more fruitful campaigns in Leinster. For one of them, a significant step will be taken on Sunday in booking a final berth on December 8th.
Moorefield celebrate after their Kildare county final win.
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
