Considine the catalyst as Kilmallock finally make leap

ONLY those who are close to the scene in the town can appreciate just how much pressure was on Kilmallock to win Sunday’s Limerick SHC final.

Dominant in their own division of South Limerick for decades (the pick of whose intermediate and junior clubs, known as Emmets, they beat in the final), Kilmallock were also the prevalent force at minor with seven titles since 2000, and at U21 where they reached the last five finals in a row, winning the first four.

The talent to make the breakthrough at senior level was undoubtedly there, yet year after year, failure. Last Sunday, however, put an end to all that, and with a team that was led superbly from the back by captain Gavin O’Mahony and from the front by the inspirational Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Kilmallock won its ninth senior title since the breakthrough year of 1960, its first since 1994. How was it achieved?