Shefflin can fire Ballyhale to glory

AFTER a mixed week for favourites in Cheltenham, most people expect Ballyhale Shamrocks to repay the bookies’ faith in today’s AIB All-Ireland Club hurling final.

The Kilkenny and Leinster champions take on Galway kingpins Loughrea in the second game of today’s double-header, and many expect them to win pulling up.

Ballyhale boast some fine players — you never win an easy Kilkenny senior title — but in Henry Shefflin they have an all-time great at his considerable peak.

If Henry, the current Hurler of the Year, is held, they’ll look to James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, the outstanding inter-county midfielder last year and the current Young Hurler of the Year.

All in all, encouraging reading for those getting on the train in Thomastown and environs to head up for the game.

Loughrea can boast some quality themselves: Gregory Kennedy starred for Galway in the early years of the decade, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

In 2001 the Loughrea man gave Shefflin a spiky afternoon in the All-Ireland semi-final, and the westerners will hope for more of the same today if they’re to have any hope of an upset.

However, the favourite’s tag has been well-earned by Ballyhale: the All-Ireland semi-final they won against Toomeara — 3-14 to 2-20, remember? — has been justifiably hailed as a classic. More significantly, Shamrocks had to overcome a twelve-point deficit to win that game, which indicates steel to go with the silk.

A direct comparison with Loughrea’s record shows a stuttering victory over Antrim’s Cushendall, 1-11 to 0-9, however.

Expect Shefflin and company to come out on top today. Loughrea are set up to make life difficult for their opponents, but it’s hard to see where they’ll generate the scores from to outpoint the Kilkenny side in a shoot-out.

AIB All-Ireland Club Hurling final, Ballyhale Shamrocks v Loughrea, Croke Park, 3.40pm (Live on TG4).