Newcomers set to make final impact

EIGHTEEN months ago both Pierce O’Neill and Kieran Donaghy were two unknowns in terms of inter-county football.

Enter the TV programme The Underdogs, and under the management of Mickey Ned O’Sullivan and Jarleth Burns, both were picked from obscurity and onto a team which defeated Kerry under lights in Tralee.

Their incredible rise to prominence didn’t end there. Donaghy nailed down a starting spot for The Kingdom during the League while O’Neill makes his championship debut for Cork in Sunday’s Munster Final in Killarney.