Abbeydorney boss Francie O'Halloran thrilled to prove 2024 was no fluke

THRILLED: Abbeydorney Hurling manager Francie O'Halloran at Austin Stack GAA Grounds. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD .

While Kerry's football fraternity is in a celebratory mode, club hurling is already coming to the boil with the the SHC final set for Austin Stack Park on Sunday. 

Despite the split season, it means only the winners will puck a sliotar in Kerry until 2026. Putting that debate aside, this is a rerun of last year’s final with Abbeydorney taking on Ballyduff. 

Last August, Abbeydorney claimed a first title since 1974, so seeking back to back titles is obviously new territory. Ballyduff, on the other hand, have 25 titles and another would put them level at the top of the roll of honour with Kilmoyley.

Interestingly, the first ever Kerry SHC was played in 1883 with Abbeydorney beating Ballyduff 1-1 to 0-1, which will definitely not be the final score on Sunday.

Abbeydorney’s fortunes changed in 2024 with the arrival of former Roscommon hurling manager and Ruane clubman Francie O’Halloran, who got honesty and commitment from a talented squad of players who had not been delivering on the big days. 

This season Abbeydorney sailed through the group stages, beating Causeway and Tralee Parnells and received a bye to the semis. They then faced Kilmoyley in the semi-final, a team Abbeydorney invariably find hard to beat. But a brilliant individual display by Michael Slattery, who scored 4-2, inspired a 4-15 to 1-15 win.

O’Halloran is thrilled to have proved last year was no one-off. 

“I'm delighted with it. It just shows, I suppose, last year wasn't a fluke. In terms of like the 50-year thing, it didn't go into the camp." 

Beating Kilmoyley was another significant landmark, O'Halloran says.

”We're delighted. It was a big one for us, especially since they hadn't beaten these lads since, I don't know, 2016 or something, I'm here, what two years now, I've never beaten them in the league. Now I know you can't read much into the league. It's a monkey off the back."

While Abbeydorney are blessed with scoring forwards in Michael O’Leary, Michael Slattery, Jack Sheehan and Kerry senior captain Oisin Maunsell, they also have a rock solid defence. 

“They don't panic.” Francie enthused, recalling the defensive resilieance that held Kilmoyley to 16 scores. 

"Stephen Egan was immense.  Everything is at pace. And like you would hear me, I'd say in your own house, every night at training, that's what we look for is to move the ball as fast as we can and attack the ball. And it's a big thing that we kind of do underage, and I keep saying it to the coaches, is if you can get that into them at an early stage."

O'Halloran feels pressure is off his side Sunday, to some extent, with the long famine out of the way.

“You have hit the nail on the head there. The pressure was never anything about the 50 years, but then on county final day, it was all about 1974 and all that. That’s ok, that has to be done too. 

“This year, and coming up to the final now, the pressure is off. We’re under no pressure whatsoever, even as county champions. We’re just going to train as hard as we can, and play as hard as we can, and whatever happens, happens.

“If we perform, we won’t be far off it. That’s the thing about this group. When they’re on song, they’re as good as any club team, not alone in Kerry, but in Munster and Ireland. We’re really looking forward to the occasion. We have to enjoy it too."