GAA weekend previews: all on the line at Croke Park deciders
Shane O’Brien of Loughrea ahead of the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final against Ballygunner. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
It’s in May, not January that Cork want to be winning in Killarney and John Cleary has already deflected from this game, insisting it’s all about Cavan’s visit next week. Nevertheless, giving Kerry a reminder would be a lovely way to enter what’s sure to be a cutthroat campaign. We have rarely seen Jack O’Connor this happy at the outset of the year. No doubt, he will have reason to be cranky along the way but he seems reasonably content with where Kerry are ahead of defending league and All-Ireland titles. Kerry.
A final John Kiely did not expect to be in despite defeating Cork. It’s rare Cork do Limerick favours but coming back like they did against Clare they have given the Munster runners-up a game to bridge the gap to the first league outing (Limerick have a bye next weekend). Waterford have looked sharp without their Ballygunner contingent and the team Limerick have named sure does have an experimental hue about it. Their bench is largely familiar though and Limerick are at liberty to attack this game more than The Déise. Limerick.
Niall Ó Ceallacháin has been changing up his team but the performances and results have been consistent. Their Division 1B opener away to Clare next weekend could be a cracker. A greenish Galway team were too good for Offaly last weekend and will embrace this trip to the capital if they are selected. Dublin’s teams have carried more seasoned players and they may just have the drop on them. Dublin.
In a competition beleaguered by illegal players and cancellations, Donegal and Monaghan have undoubtedly emerged as the best sides. Like last year, the indications are Jim McGuinness is looking for a hot start to the season. The four-day turnaround at this time of year and six days before Donegal face Dublin and seven prior to Monaghan hosting Armagh is probably not ideal. Monaghan have plenty of spunk and if McGuinness rotates, as he has suggested, they could profit. : Monaghan.
Beating Down was no small feat for Derry and they can get their hands on an early piece of silverware. Derry.
Be thankful for the two-week gap. For if this final was played a week after the semi-final like the intermediate and junior finals the likes of Paul Geaney and Brian Stack might have been held in reserve because of injury concerns. All the ‘ballers are available and we should get a game of football. Sure, St Brigid's demonstrated they can do a number on their opponents’ spearhead (Rory Beggan) but they still produced 1-16 in Cavan the last day. They have quality in every line and expect Ben O’Carroll to give a display after scoring just one point the last day. Yet for all their qualities, the more controlled this game is, the better it will be for Anthony Cunningham’s side. Dingle have shown in their last two games that chaos is a friend of theirs. They won’t mind being behind and if St Brigid’s find themselves leading in the final quarter they will have to find means of tightening up the game because Dingle will feast on disjointedness. Mark O’Connor’s continued presence must give his team-mates such a lift. It’s not just what he provides in his approach or that relentless ability to drive forward: how he has convinced his paymasters to let him continue this personal pilgrimage further underlines what’s at stake for Dingle. St Brigid’s know where their opponents’ strengths are – and O’Connor is one of them – and cutting out direct ball to the Geaneys and stopping Tom O’Sullivan at source will be objectives. The fear for Dingle is they may have played their final in Cork and St Brigid’s, even with the doubts about Stack’s fitness, have more in the tank. But there’s a perception of irresistibility surrounding Dingle and even if it is just a perception it counts for a lot. : Dingle.
Loughrea need so much going for them if they are to surprise Ballygunner. Certainly, with the forwards they boast, they can beat the Waterford and Munster champions and the now-cleared Cullen Killeen gives them that dynamism around the middle where Ballygunner are so reliant on treading together those short passes. Against St Martin’s, it took Jason Ryan’s side some time to get going as the Wexford men matched them for intensity and there could be another similar slow start here as Loughrea won’t lack in fervour. Can they manage to dislodge or upset Philip Mahony who as anchor of the ‘Gunners defence is so pivotal? As much as Paddy Leavey comes back so often to fill gaps, Tiernan Killeen has a massive role in shaking that half-back line. Neither team shirk in the physical stakes and keeping one’s head will be vital. Dessie Hutchinson is playing his best club hurling and is unlikely to be subdued. Even if he curtailed, Patrick Fitzgerald could make this game his own. The range of ball that Stephen O’Keeffe supplies is outstanding too. It’s a first Croke Park appearance for Ballygunner since they lost the 2022 semi-final to Ballyhale Shamrocks. They were favourites then and the tag burdened them. They have it again but they can wear it well. : Ballygunner.
How many people will be keeping their money in their pockets for next Sunday’s Division 1 opener in Salthill? When there appears to be fierce competition for places, you can’t simply say this is a phony battle and both would be of the mind that you can never beat the other enough. Seeing Matthew Thompson work his magic last weekend served as a cruel reminder what Galway will be missing out on for a part of the season. It might only be pre-season but Mayo’s newfound love of two-pointers can be dismissed. It’s a move in the right direction. Verdict: Mayo.
Both teams found themselves in this competition through no fault of their own. Not that the shield will be put on display on Noreside but the victory will be expected before Offaly visit next weekend. Kilkenny.
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