Offaly giants aim to maintain status quo in Leinster

IT’S little and large in the Leinster club hurling final this Sunday with Birr, big town aristocrats, facing the challenge of small parish heroes Young Irelands at Portlaoise, as once again the All-Ireland club hurling championship defies the old conventions.

Kilkenny may be long time kings of the castle at inter-county level in the eastern province, but back at the ranch, it’s a different story, especially in recent years.

Birr are once again champions of Offaly, a title they’ve practically owned for the last decade, only Seir Kieran challenging them with any frequency locally. In fact, Birr won two Offaly county senior hurling titles last year, due to the fact the 2000 final was postponed to the spring of 2001.