New county senior hurling boss Ger Cunningham will surely be scouting
for new potential at Dublin’s senior hurling final
Parnell Park faces a big Southside invasion tonight for Dublin’s
senior hurling final (7.45), where new county senior hurling boss Ger
Cunningham will surely be scouting for new potential.
It is a hugely historic occasion for Templeogue side St Judes who are
having a great season.
Their hopes of a Dublin senior double may have been dashed by their
footballers’ semi-final defeat but they have already beaten Ballyboden to win
the county junior hurling title.
After reaching the county senior semi-finals for the first time this
year, they now face Kilmacud Crokes in the biggest day in their hurling
history.
They only dropped one point en route but that draw with Lucan, to top
their group, proved just as vital.
There were fears that their 15-point quarter-final victory over Faughs,
who had a man sent off, might not have given them the requisite challenge when
they had to then face the might of a rejuvenated O’Tooles in the semi-finals.
But the free-taking of teenager Fionn O Riain Broin and their stellar
inter-county star Danny Sutcliffe secured their famous victory when they came
from behind to take that goalless victory by a point and Sean Fallon’s team
showed they will not be cowed by the big occasion.
Defence has been their strong point so far this season and they’ve only
conceded goals in two of their five games, including clean sheets in their last
two.
That’s also created a battle for their number one jersey between two
talented goalkeepers in Graham Nolan and Martin Hartnett. Their opponents are
no strangers to finals and are chasing a sixth SHC title.
Kilmacud last won the hurling title in 2012, which was their first since
1985, but at the helm now is experienced former Clare star Ollie Baker.
His side looked particularly impressive when disposing of Ballyboden’s
star-studded reigning champions, including Conal Keaney, by seven points in
their semi-final.
They’ve already shown a talent for racking up goals in this campaign,
raising green flags in every game but their opener, and that included two goals
against St Vincent’s and a brace also in each of their victories over
Ballyboden.
Plucky
Kilmacud’s best known names are county seniors Ryan O’Dwyer and Niall
Corcoran and the O’Carroll brothers – Rory and Ross – of Dublin football fame
but Seanie McGrath and Caolan Conway, who split their free-taking, are key men
up front. Judes have earned the right to be judged as much more than plucky
underdogs now.
They are exceptionally well organised and can mix it up tactically in
the forwards, but they face a Stillorgan side who are a great mix of youth and
experience and have more on their bench. Kilmacud have also served notice of
their intentions by twice beating the reigning champions (Ballyboden) to get
here.
If Judes can stop them getting in for goals, they have a good chance but
they’ll also need to get one themselves and both are a big ask against a team
of such power and experience. Verdict: Kilmacud
Irish Independent
