It's all in The Village breeding, says delighted Fan
"They had the hurling, and they had the heart," he said, after James Stephens had snatched victory with a late, late goal. "But why wouldn't they, it's bred into them with their mother's milk!"
Fan would know. When The Village won their first two Leinster (and All-Ireland) titles, he was one of their main men, though then in his early 40's; yesterday, his son Philly starred at centre-back and matched his dad's achievement, as James Stephens repeated last year's narrow win over UCD and won a fourth Leinster title.
Philly it was who made the first statement of James Stephens' intent in the second half as they settled to try and overcome a five-point half-time deficit. A wonderful high catch under intense pressure, Philly then made the outlet pass to midfielder Brian McEvoy that started the last-minute move that led to the decisive goal.
McEvoy's long centre then hit the post and teenage substitute Matthew Ruth was in a perfect position to tap in the rebound.
Matthew Ruth? Yes, son of his father of the same name, another who poached his share of vital goals, in his own time. Breeding alright.
Even when they went nine points behind, with just 22 minutes gone, and UCD hurling with superb fluency, the heads never dropped.
"There's great spirit in this team, I knew we wouldn't die, and we came back," said a clearly delighted younger Larkin.
"Even at half-time, we said we might have to win it in the last minute, and that's how it turned out. We were worried, yes, but we knew we weren't out of it. It's the club spirit."
And then, from Philly, a reference to the controversy surrounding UCD's participation in the championship.
"They (UCD) shouldn't be in it. I didn't want to say it beforehand, but it's a f**king joke, and if the Dublin clubs don't kick up, they're harmless men. Next year, are we going to have WIT in it as well, UCC too perhaps."
For this year anyway, that particular controversy, which was becoming a growing distraction to a fantastic championship, is over.
Whatever about breeding and spirit, James Stephens wouldn't be Leinster champions this morning but for a canny first-half switch. During UCD's dominant first-half spell, Limerick's Stephen Lucey, in his eighth year with UCD, was revelling at midfield with two points already on the board; the sideline came up with the match-winning move, switching wing-back and team captain Peter Barry to midfield.
Lucey found himself man-marked by an uncompromising defender, one who has done that job with distinction for The Village and for Kilkenny for over a decade now, and his influence waned. "It's just the way the game goes," said Peter. "Stephen was having a stormer, but he's a damn good hurler. The way things were going, the conditions, it suited college hurling, Fitzgibbon Cup hurling, Walsh Cup, but once we got into our rhythm, we were fine.
"It was just a question of grinding it out, and that's what we did. We didn't panic, that was important, found our rhythm again before half-time and the points we got then were critical. I'm thrilled to bits now."
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