‘This year’s squad, maybe, is more workmanlike’
Go back to last year’s Hogan Cup final and of the 2-13 racked up by St Brendan’s, 2-9 was shared between Dara Moynihan and David Clifford – the latter hitting 2-5.
Their path back to this afternoon’s decider has been no less impressive than it was 12 months ago, but what is noticeable is how the plaudits have been more evenly shared.
Moynihan, captain this year, has been less visible on the scoresheet. Although named at half-forward for each game, the bulk of the work carried out by the Spa youngster has been concentrated around the middle where he concerns himself with ensuring a plentiful supply of ball into Donnchadh O’Sullivan, David Shaw and Mark O’Shea.
Manager Gary McGrath feels this latest crop have been more rigorously tested than their predecessors but added the manner in which they’ve come through each examination is proof of their aptitude for hard work.
“Last year, we were littered with a lot of big names and fabulous individual talent. I suppose in last year’s campaign, with all due respects to the other colleges, we went right up to the final without being tested. To win a Hogan Cup semi-final by 18 points and a Corn Uí Mhuirí by 29 points was unheard of. This year, we are putting up big scores, but if you look at our Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final against Dingle we were only up two points at half-time, in the Munster final against Tralee CBS we were just two points up at the break and in the Hogan Cup semi-final, we were only up a point at half-time. So you might say we have been finishing strongly but we have been tested a lot more than last year and the lads have responded. This year’s squad, maybe, are more workmanlike. Collectively, we are playing very well as a group.”
The 2-9 and 2-12 they kicked in the second-half of the Hogan Cup semi and Corn Uí Mhuirí decider respectively would back up McGrath’s statement of how Kilkennyesque they’ve been in pulling away upon the change of ends. Their defence deserves mention here too. 1-11 – which they’ve twice conceded en-route – is the most they’ve been taken for. The average they’ve leaked per game is a fairly meagre 0-10.
“In the second-half against Tralee, we only conceded four points which was great because they had the breeze. Our defence is very tight, they work very hard and they feed off the forwards.”
Billy Courtney, Dara Moynihan and David Shaw were all part of the 2016 Kerry minor side and when you factor in the four other survivors from last year’s Hogan Cup winning team, there are plenty within the St Brendan’s set-up well familiar with GAA HQ. The big stage shouldn’t be an issue.
“Interestingly, I met Seamus Moynihan the other day and he told me no matter how many times you have been to Croke Park, it’s still an intimidating place to play in and you can never become totally comfortable there. We are hoping that Billy, Dara and David, who have been there lots of times, would be guiding, talking to and helping out any younger members of the panel with any nerves they might have.”
McGrath added: “If we can turn up, play for one another and do what we have been doing all year which is to move the ball through the foot and open up our opponents, then, hopefully, it should be enough to see us through.”
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