Family ties: Kilkenny and Limerick guaranteed to be a family affair

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON: Limerick's Colin Coughlan and Gearoid Hegarty are both following in family footsteps. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

With two sets of brothers in each panel, Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final is guaranteed to be a family affair.

Kilkenny captain Richie Reid will hope to go one better than TJ did in 2010 and ‘19 and climb the Hogan Stand steps, while goalkeeper Eoin Murphy’s sibling Alan will be looking to be introduced as he has been in recent games. 

Meanwhile the Caseys of Na Piarsaigh, Mike and Peter, and the Morrisseys of Ahane, Dan and Tom, are all but certain to feature for Limerick.

Among the eight of them are 24 All-Ireland medals, 13 on the Kilkenny side and the Limerick band of brothers’ haul coming to 11. Dig a little deeper, though, and the Reid family can boast another in their uncle Richie, who was wing back when the Cats beat Galway in the 1979 All-Ireland final.

Neither the Caseys nor the Morrisseys have similar hurling heritage but scattered around the four of them, Mike and Dan in defence and Peter and Tom in attack, is a plethora of links to bygone era of Limerick hurling.

Altogether, a third of the Limerick team that started the All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway last Sunday week are emulating their fathers in wearing the green and white. 

For Kilkenny, there are Mikey Carey and Martin Keoghan, whose fathers DJ and Liam won the 1993 All-Ireland SHC title and 1997 All-Stars alongside one another.

Dig a little further and it’s evident this weekend’s clash is a generational game. If it helps to start hurling early, it’s even more beneficial to be steeped in the sport:

KILKENNY 

Tommy Walsh – Second cousin of all-time Cats’ great Tommy, Pádraic and county camogie star Grace, grandson of two-time Celtic Cross winner Paddy Grace.

Mikey Carey – Son of all-time great DJ.

Richie and TJ Reid – Nephews of Richie Reid, 1979 All-Ireland winning defender.

Adrian Mullen – Cousins of Michael and Colin Fennelly, nephew of All-Ireland winning captains Ger and Liam.

Conor Browne – Son of Kilkenny’s 12-time All-Ireland winning camogie legend Angela, nephew of Ann and grandson of 1947 All-Ireland winner Shem.

Pádraic Walsh – Brother of Tommy and Grace, grandson of Paddy Grace.

Eoin Cody – Nephew of one Henry Shefflin.

Martin Keoghan – Son of Liam, 1993 All-Ireland winner and ‘97 All-Star.

Cian Kenny – Great grandson of Mick Kenny, Kilkenny centre-forward in 1957.

Substitutes:

Richie Hogan – Second cousin of DJ, third cousin of Mikey.

James Maher – Son of Kilkenny camogie star Gillian and grandson of Cats giant Pa Dillon.

LIMERICK 

Nickie Quaid – Son of late Limerick goalkeeper Tommy, second cousin of former county netminder Joe.

Seán Finn – Son of Brian, who won a Munster SHC with Limerick in 1994.

Barry Nash – Son of two-time Munster SHC winner Mike.

Declan Hannon – Son of Brigid, niece of Tipperary legend, three-time All-Ireland winner Pat Stakelum.

Gearóid Hegarty – Son of ex-Limerick half-forward Ger, who claimed a Munster SHC medal 28 years ago.

Seamus Flanagan – Son of John, winner of two provincial and two National Hurling League titles.

Substitutes:

Cian Lynch – Son of Valerie, sister of Limerick heroes Ciaran Carey, Pa and Paul.

Colin Coughlan – Grand-nephew of former Limerick hurler and manager Tom Ryan.