Presentation Athenry aim for first Croke Cup title at sixth attempt

Galway schools reaching the Croke Cup final is no longer unusual but winning the decider is still a rarity

Presentation College Athenry face St Kieran's College in the Croke Cup final on St Patrick's Day. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

There was a time - not very long ago at all - when a Galway school appearing in the Croke Cup final was something of a novelty. And while a Galway school lifting the Croke Cup is still firmly ensconced in rare and novel territory, their annual involvement is now almost expected.

Tuesday's opening decider of the Croke Park double-bill, for the fourth March in succession, features a Galway hurling nursery. For Presentation Athenry, today marks their third final appearance of the past four seasons. Throw in the 2018 and ‘19 runs and the Athenry college has been in five of the past seven finals.

Their success in reaching the concluding day eight years ago bridged a gap all the way back to the unsuccessful final-day outing of St Raphael’s Loughrea in 2004.

To offer further context; from 1977 to 2017, only six finals had western participation. From 2018 to present day, there have been six more.

As we said at the outset, the novelty of a Galway nursery being involved has dissipated. It’s the winning part that remains a problem. The Raphael’s class of 1995 continue to stand as the all-conquering outlier.

The latest push is led by Ciarán Leen. He started for the Galway seniors in the Walsh Cup final of mid-January. That’s the sort of talent you’re dealing with here.

The Craughwell clubman's 1-14 in the Connacht Colleges final victory included a pair of sideline cuts. There was another converted sideline among his 0-10 haul in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final win over Flannan’s.

He is one of five final survivors from 12 months ago. Éanna McDonagh, Shay Brady, Robert Burke, and Cian Hannon are the remaining quartet.

The nagging worry for the school, more so than the current class, is that they won't get a better opportunity than 12 months ago. Leading Thurles CBS by eight with 18 minutes left, the class of current Galway seniors Jason Rabbitte and Aaron Niland were unable to see out the job.

No better nursery of tradition and renown to seize on that worry than 25-time winners St Kieran’s. Overseen by multi-jobbing Brian Dowling, the famed Kilkenny College displayed remarkable resilience to overturn a five-point deficit from the 53rd minute on in their All-Ireland semi-final against Nenagh.

So, is it to be familiar order or a first for Athenry at the sixth attempt?