Which cousin will have bragging rights following Limerick - Cork final?

THE last time first cousins Richie English and Darragh Fitzgibbon togged out on the same day in Croke Park in 2018 it was the Doon man who was celebrating a great win.

But could the roles be reversed on Sunday? Indeed, they could be playing on the same team if things had worked out differently as Darragh lives on the Limerick side of the border in Creggane, Charleville.

Richie’s mum, Marion, and Darragh’s dad Mossy are brother and sister from Milford, near Dromcollogher.

Marion married the late and much-missed Paddy English of Doon while Mossy wed Ita O’Keeffe, who played camogie with Castletown-Ballyagran, and they settled in Creggane.

As Mossy was a fine hurler with Cork intermediates, Darragh followed in his father’s footsteps and plays with Charleville GAA Club. He also starred for Charleville CBS. Both Doon and Charleville GAA are proud of their men who give so much back to their respective GAA clubs.

A lot has been made of the photo above when pleasantries were exchanged during the All-Ireland semi-final in 2018 but they’re not playing tiddlywinks – this is senior hurling.

Back in 2019, Darragh spoke to Shane Stapleton of OurGame.ie about the incident.

“We’re first cousins. We’d be close enough outside of the field. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing. He wasn’t long letting me know after we lost the semi-final about the proper result.

“I live close to the border in Charleville. There is good rivalry between all my family because we have a lot of family in Limerick as well,” Darragh told Shane Stapleton.

But whichever teams lifts Liam MacCarthy on Sunday, having another All-Ireland medal in the extended English / Fitzgibbon family is something to cherish.

There’s a Rebel at the heart of Patrickswell’s Kirby clan