Can Na Piarsaigh learn from past pains?

Shane O’Neill chuckles at the question. His club, Na Piarsaigh, have been here before, at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. Twice in the last five years, in fact. Isn’t there some solace in having that experience to draw on?

“I don’t know if solace is the word, because we’ve an atrocious record at this level - nought out of two, and probably naive in both of those games, if naive in different ways.

“I was involved in 2011 and our first All-Ireland semi-final, there was the excitement, the novelty, but as a group we probably didn’t give Loughgiel the respect they deserved.