Silverware at stake in Semple showdown

BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR

Allianz National Hurling League Final

FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles, Saturday 7:15pm

Kilkenny vs Clare

This year’s Allianz National Hurling League Final takes place tomorrow evening and sees Kilkenny once again lock horns with Clare to determine where the silverware will rest for the next 12 months. FBD Semple Stadium is the venue, and this should add to what is sure to be an exciting encounter (Throw-in 7:15pm, Live on TG4).

Both finalists will have a couple of weeks to then prepare for their respective provincial championships, with the Cats at home to Antrim and the Banner welcoming John Kiely’s Limerick to Cusack Park Ennis. The latter of these two games is sure to be a clinker, but for now the league final takes centre stage in Thurles.

When these two sides met during the group stages, it was Clare that prevailed, winning by 3 points in Ennis just over three weeks ago. The exciting David Fitzgerald was in sparking form as Brian Lohan’s charges secured the victory. That game also saw TJ Reid make his first competitive appearance in the black and amber of 2024, and the Shamrocks Ballyhale legend showed little signs of rustiness, having had his first winter off in a few seasons.

While the clash in Ennis perhaps lacked a little intensity, tomorrow night’s clash should be a little more keenly contested as both counties seek to bring serious momentum into championship hurling. You would fancy both Clare and Kilkenny to feature heavily when we reach the business end of the season and be chomping at the bit to get another crack at the Treaty.

Brian Lohan’s outfit went unbeaten through the group stages of the league, the only blemish on their record was a draw against Keith Rossiter’s Wexford in Chadwicks Park in late February while tomorrow’s opponents also had to settle for a share of the spoils against the Slaneysiders. The Banner’s reward for topping Group A was a semi-final clash with Tipperary who had finished just behind Group B winners Limerick, a match played in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Fortunately for Clare, Liam Cahill’s men were well off the boil throughout and hit far too many wide’s to lay down a serious challenge to The Banner who led from start to finish in Portlaoise. Indeed, Clare had eight points on the board before The Premier County opened their account, and in David Fitzgerald they met a player who is in eye-catching form and the Inagh-Kilnamona man hit an impressive 1-3 while the lively David Reidy notched 0-3.

During the group clash with the Cats in Ennis, Fitzgerald finished with a tally of 0-5 had had good support in the form of Peter Duggan and Keith Smyth who hit 0-4 between them. Fitzgerald’s fellow clubman, Aidan McCarthy top scored for The Banner with 0-6, all from placed balls as he took over from Mark Rodgers, whose radar was out early on. Clare certainly appeared the hungrier of the two teams that day, and bossed the contest with superior physicality, something which Derek Lyng will hope his side matches in Thurles tomorrow evening.

In defence, Diarmuid Ryan and David McInerney have been solid in the half-back line which has taken a little pressure off the four players behind them. Between the sticks, Eibhear Quilligan is an experienced netminder who can be relied on to put on a good performance in goal. There have been some questions about the form and fitness of John Conlon, who had a tough afternoon in Laois, and probably should have been red carded following his challenge on Jason Forde, having been booked earlier.

Cathal Malone has had a decent league campaign in midfield and has weighed in with vital scores in games also. The Noresiders will need to be up the battle in the engine room and keep tabs on the surging forward runs by the Clare players to ensure those more talented ahead of them don’t have free reign to wreak havoc. The manager’s son, Darragh Lohan may get another run out against the Cats, having impressed in the previous meeting in Ennis, prior to his late red card. Clare also has a few players to spring from the bench, should fresh legs be required in Thurles. The likes of Seadna Morey, the Hayes boys, Rory and Ross, Ian Galvin and Shane Meehan can all add something to Lohan’s team if called upon.

Cats boss Derek Lyng will no doubt have been content to get one over Limerick in their recent semi-final clash on Leeside, but the Emeralds clubman will want to add silverware to this Allianz campaign ahead of bigger days out. Having inflicted the first defeat in knock-out hurling on the Treaty side in five seasons, the job in hand for the black and amber is to register victory at the home of Tipperary tomorrow.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the win over John Kiely’s team was the performance of Cian Kenny and Jordan Molloy in the engine room. The O’Loughlin Gaels man has made the step up to the black and amber and has looked very much at home with his non-stop all action harassing and harrying of opponents. This was particularly evident when faced with the Limerick duo of Will O’Donoghue and Cian Lynch in Páirc Uí Chaoimh recently.

Kilkenny’s quick transitions were lovely to watch and created many goal scoring opportunities against the green machine, and the Marble City faithful will hope that this style of play is repeated as the season progresses. Eoin Cody, Luke Hogan and TJ all looked very sharp and on the same hymn sheet in Cork while Adrian Mullen, Billy Ryan and Thomastown’s John Donnelly provided a solid platform for the former trio to reap huge rewards. As usual, former captain Mullen struck over 3 lovely scores, underlining his superb form to date and the All-Star hurler will be determined to continue this in Thurles.

With the likes of Mikey Butler, Conor Heary and Mikey Carey likely to remain absent until the championship, it will be down to the experienced duo of captain Paddy Deegan and his deputy, Huw Lawlor to lead from defence. Had Mr. Butler been available, you would have wanted him to try and shackle David Fitzgerald, but another piece in the defensive jigsaw will have been prepared for this very important job, in the continued absence of Banner talisman, Tony Kelly. Glenmore’s Shane Murphy and Tommy Walsh have been putting in decent shifts of late and will want another outing tomorrow night. The goalkeeper’s brother in particular, has been settling into intercounty hurling nicely and is a joy to watch, especially when roaming forward.

With every game David Blanchfield seems to be developing into a key cog in the Cats machine. His aerial catching is tremendous, and he is one player who loves battles and isn’t afraid to mix it when necessary. The Bennettsbridge man is likely to have Paddy Deegan inside him, but it remains to be seen if Dicksboro’s Cillian Buckley will get the nod on the other side of the half back line.

If Kilkenny can contain Fitzgerald, Peter Duggan and David Reidy, while not conceding silly free’s for Aidan McCarthy to punish, the Cats should have enough quality to deliver a first national title at senior level for Derek Lyng. Thurles is ready. Kilkenny expects.