Brennan braced for Ballybrown test

Having re-established their respective places in the senior hurling ranks in Cork and Limerick, Ballinhassig and Ballybrown go in search of further silverware when they meet in the quarter-final of the AIB Munster club IHC at Páirc Uí Rinn today.

The Rebel champions were back training the week after their victory earlier this month and they’ll be hoping this could be the start of a journey that will help them atone for their All Ireland final loss to Dicksboro in February 2006.

“When we met on the Friday after the final, the players said they wanted to have a cut off of the Munster campaign,” explained selector Peter Brennan. “We had three good training sessions and a football match the following week. We met Kilworth then in the league final but we had a bit of a hiccup. Hopefully that was due to the hard training and that is not to take from Kilworth’s win.

“We need to be ready for Ballybrown, we have seen them and we know they are a tough team. They played in the Limerick senior league losing out to Kilmallock (senior county champions) in the final. We will be up against it, they are a fairly balanced side and Limerick clubs have done well in this competition in the past few years,” he added.

Ballinhassig have no injury worries. Captain Darren Dineen and centre back Michael Aherne are key players.

Ballybrown showed impressive form in their five point win over Dromin-Athlacca in the Limerick showdown a week ago with Stephen Foster netting the game’s only goal and Alan O’Connor tallying seven points. Among their backroom staff are former Limerick hurler Clem Smith and physical trainer Dave Mahedy.

Effin are the current holders of the Munster trophy and they defeated Ballybrown in the 2011 county final. Ballyduff of Kerry await the winners in the semi-final on Sunday November 4.