Donohue passing puts final into perspective

The weather has taken a bad turn in Galway with heavy rain and a biting wind adding to the numbness which has been felt, especially in the south of the county, in the past few days.

Playing a county final on a Monday is just adding to the surreality which has prevailed since news first emerged late on Wednesday night of the tragic death of Niall Donohue, two days short of his 23rd birthday.

Players from Loughrea and Portumna, who contest today’s rearranged county SHC final at Pearse Stadium (2.45pm), joined the thousands who shivered outside the Donohue family home in Kilbeacanty on Saturday and yesterday at St Columba’s Church in the village.

Perhaps the Galway hurling committee should have put back the county final to next Sunday, but, in a way, the hurling will be a relief and a distraction after the sheer awfulness of the past few days.

For Joe Canning and Loughrea’s Johnny Coen, along with several others on both sides, they will remember a teammate they shared joy with in the maroon of Galway in the past few seasons.

They are familiar foes, are Loughrea and Portumna. This is the fifth time they have met in the county final since 2003. They went into that decider with just one county title between them, a Loughrea success in 1941.

Portumna have won three of the finals between them, with Loughrea’s sole success from six county finals in 10 years tarnished in a poisonous affair in 2006.

Loughrea have since gained a lot of respect for the way they have kept coming back. Portumna beat them by 18 points in the 2009 final. Loughrea have been in two finals since then, with Clarinbridge beating them by a goal in a replay in 2010 and St Thomas’ also having three points to spare last year.

Both Clarinbridge and St Thomas’ went on to win the All-Ireland.

Loughrea know they are close.