‘Big monster’ is waiting in the decider, warns Paul Flynn

There’s a little history between Ballygunner and Na Piarsaigh. Given the pool of clubs jostling to get out of the Munster club SHC, that’s hardly surprising, but Paul Flynn is worried that the backstory may be more beneficial to the Limerick champions than to his club mates in black and red.

“What I’d point out is that Na Piarsaigh won their first Limerick title in 2011 and they came down to Walsh Park to play Ballygunner in the Munster club. A club’s first outing in the provincial championships, travelling away to a more experienced team, all of that.

“And Ballygunner had them beat the same day, but Na Piarsaigh got two quick goals late-on. They won that day and went on to win the Munster club championship. It reminds me a bit of what happened when I was playing myself. When we’d win the Waterford championship, our nemesis teams in Munster were always the Clare champions: St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield, Wolfe Tones, Clarecastle. And it turned into something that people read a lot into.” Flynn breaks down the benefit of an early win in a rivalry: “I think, if Ballygunner had beaten Na Piarsaigh that day, back in 2011, there wouldn’t be any talk of them not being able to beat Na Piarsaigh now.