Farrell’s men seek junior crown in Captial clash
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
AIB All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship Final
St Lachtain’s vs Russell Rovers
Sunday, 12:30pm, Croke Park
The last man standing. St Lachtain’s carry that tag this weekend as they represent all on Noreside on one of the biggest days in the club hurling calendar as they take on the challenge of Russell Rovers in the AIB All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship Final (Sunday, 12:30 throw in). This time last year, it was Walter Walsh and his Tullogher Rosbercon side that flew the flag for the Marble City when they were crowned champions at this grade with a thoroughly deserved victory over Cork’s St Catherine’s.
Freshford’s opponents this weekend also hail from the Rebel County. Russell Rovers are seasoned performers at this level and will be keen to go one better that they did in 2020, when they fell to Kilkenny opposition in the shape of Conahy Shamrocks. Oh, how a similar result would be welcomed in the County on Sunday. The Shanagarry based outfit are led by Dave Dorgan, but it is a well-known figure, both from his time on the pitch and more recently, his media work as a pundit with RTE, Donal Og Cusack that is an influential figure within the management team.
The Rebel County dominate Junior hurling in their province, with 17 of the last 23 Munster JHC champions coming from Leeside, a sign of the strength of the game in Cork. Like Sunday’s opponents, the first task is always trying to become top-dog in your own back yard, and that’s what Russell Rovers did this season in claiming their first Cork Premier JHC title since 2019. Dorgan’s charges got the better of St Catherine’s, who were hoping to put All-Ireland heartbreak behind them and go one better this year, but came up against a very talented and tough opponent in Rovers, who were deserved 7-point winners at the long whistle.
Ahead of the County decider, Russell Rovers were handed a boost when centre-back James Kennefick had his red card rescinded after a hearing by Munster GAA the evening before the game. St Catherine’s weren’t as lucky as their appeal to overturn Richie O’Connell’s red failed. Goals were crucial in the Jimmy O’Mahony Cup decider and Dorgan’s men managed to raise three green flags across the game in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Brian Hartnett, former All-Ireland football winner Ciaran Sheehan and Luke Duggan Murray were the men with the majors as the Shanagarry men lifted the silverware.
There’s no doubt that the addition of former Éire Óg star Sheehan has helped galvanise Russell Rovers, and Sheehan’s leadership has been instrumental in his side’s resurgence under the guidance of Dave Dorgan and Donal Og Cusack. Despite turning 34, just before the provincial decider, the former big-ball player’s experience has certainly been of great benefit to Rovers. The younger players in and around him have and will learn a lot for however long Sheehan decides that he can soldier on for.
Entering the provincial arena at the semi-final stage, Russell Rovers last four clash was against Moyle Rovers and that game took place in Midleton. Home comforts was to the Cork champions advantage as they secured a 9-point win over their Tipperary opponents. Again, the Leesiders goal threat was evident, with another 3 majors being racked up. Star of the show in the last four clash was Brian Hartnett (2-3) who was in a rich vein of form as he showed his class while Josh Beausang (1-5) was another lively performer.
Dispatching the Premier County side saw Rovers reach the Munster decider where they clashed with Waterford’s finest, Kilrossanty. The game in Páirc Uí Rinn was a keenly contested affair in difficult conditions, but the Donal Og coached side pulled clear to clinch a deserved 11-point victory. Leading by two points at the short whistle, Rovers upped the ante after the interval and Hartnett’s second goal in successive games, coupled with an injury time effort from Luke Duggan Murray saw the Rebel County side lift the Rody Nealon Cup for the second time.
Moving onto the national stage, Cork’s Junior champions made the trip to The Downs GAA club, east of Mullingar to take on Ulster champions, Ballinascreen for a place in the All-Ireland decider. They couldn’t have got off to a better start, registering a point and seeing the opposition goalkeeper getting his marching orders, inside the first few minutes of the game. Rovers took full advantage of their numerical advantage and were 8 points up inside fifteen minutes thanks to a super run and finish from the impressive Luke Duggan Murray. Taking a 12-point advantage into the second half, the Munster men took their foot of the gas, as the ‘Screen dug deep to try and compete, but once Josh Beausang goaled from a free inside the final ten minutes, the Cork outfit pulled away, tagging on five of the final seven points to secure their place in Sunday’s final.
Both finalists have been running up decent scores for winter hurling, and both like to go for goals at every opportunity. In the open spaces of Croke Park, this could make for a very entertaining contest on Sunday. Goalkeepers are the ones that stand in the way of majors, and in Darren Brennan and Ross Walsh, the finalists have two of the finest. Both netminders have been important cogs in their teams as they have reached the final, and will want to show their intercounty managers what their all about. Obviously, Lachtain’s Darren Brennan has a good deal of experience in the black and amber of Kilkenny, and has been pushing Glenmore’s Eoin Murphy for the No.1 jersey over the last number of seasons.
Freshford manager, Steven Farrell will know that his squad has the ability to deliver the big prize, and will hope that he has all his players at his disposal when they run out at the Jones’s Road venue on Sunday. They were deprived of centre back Brian Kennedy and former county man James Maher for their semi-final victory over Easkey in Ballinasloe last time out, and St Lachtain’s will hope that the Christmas rest and rehab has allowed enough time for this key duo to regain fitness.
Russell Rovers have a triple threat in the shape of Luke Duggan Murray, captain Ciaran Sheehan and Brian Hartnett. Freshford will look to Liam Hickey, Shane Donnelly and hopefully, James Maher. Jame’s brother, Darragh has also been a regular performer as have Paddy Killeen, Cathal O’Leary and the evergreen John Fitzpatrick. Strong running, 100% effort and a great team ethic is what you get from a pair of Rafter’s in Alexander and Simon, the former is also more than capable of getting on the scoresheet.
As with most teams, still competing at this stage of the season, injuries are inevitable and St Lachtain’s boss Farrell has been keen to point out that they have a 40-man panel, all of whom are more than capable of coming in and doing a job. That has been the case with those coming in from the start and those sprung from the bench. The likes of Cian Dawson, Padraig Donnelly and the experienced John Fitzpatrick have all come in and done a job when called upon. If all bodies are fit and available for selection, it will present a lovely dilemma for the management team.
In front of experienced and talented netminder Darren Brennan, is captain and defensive anchor, Criomhthann Bergin. The commanding No.3 has been a real constant in St Lachtain’s defensive unit and is a great leader and generally makes live a little easier for Brennan behind him. The strong spine continues at 6, where Brian Kennedy has been nothing short of sensational this season. He was key in their victory over Castletown Liam Mellows, when it looked like the Wexford outfit might cause an upset and reads the game beautifully from the centre back position. Normally the influential Kennedy would have Alexander Rafter and Cathal Hickey flanking him, and these two have license to roam forward and augment the Freshford attack.
This game could be a real end-to-end swashbuckling encounter, given both sides love of fast flowing attacking hurling. Croke Park is rightfully the venue for this junior club final and is the perfect backdrop for St Lachtain’s to thrive and show the Island their talent. Let’s hope Steven Farrell’s men do themselves justice at headquarters and bring the cup back to Noreside for another year. Adh mór Naomh Lachlainn.
