Winning county titles defines Na Piarsaigh’s season says Podge Kennedy

FORMER NA PIARSAIGH senior hurling goalkeeper Podge Kennedy believes that the true measure of the club’s success each year comes down to one thing and that is winning county titles. 

"There is no point in being too modest about things here, no doubt the whole group would be disappointed after last year's county final and not getting over the line. That's a testament to where the club has got to at the moment, to be there and to be disappointed if you are not moving onto the Munster Championship. It is definitely a disappointment if you're not coming away with a victory in a county final,"Podge Kennedy told Leader Sport.

During his club career, Podge Kennedy won six county titles where he featured as the club's goalkeeper. Since then his club teammate Shane Dowling has went on to be Na Piarsaigh's number one and that comes as no surprise Kennedy. 

"I remember thinking of it a few years ago when Shane first picked up a few injuries. I said it to him and obviously he was still pushing to try and get back. Goalkeepers now days play the quarter-back role, you need to be pinpointing your puckouts and you need to be calm and Shane has that in abundance. It wasn't a shock for me to see John Kiely have him involved with Limerick this year. He is that kind of guy that can play at that level in goals and be that good at it too," added the former Na Piarsaigh shotstopper. 

READ NEXT: Knockaderry claim nail-biting Limerick Premier Junior 'A' hurling final win over Doon

Na Piarsaigh's Cathall King and Kevin Downes are both chasing their ninth Limerick senior hurling championship medal this weekend when the Caherdavin club take on Doon in the Limerick SHC final. The action gets underway on Sunday at 3:30pm in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

"It's massive, two great men that I have solidered with for years. I don't think the lads would see that side of things at all. They're massive figures inside the dressing room and always have been and I can only imagine now for young fella's to have those kind of guys to play with is massive.

"I'm very friendly with Cathall and Cathall would always say he would always keep going until he didn't enjoy it. He is obviously still enjoying it and a ninth medal is crazy."

The city club have set the standard across Limerick hurling over the last decade and this Sunday they will aim to win the Daly Cup for ninth time. Shane O'Neill's charges are also aiming to win their fourth county titles over the last six years against Doon. Match days have changed for Kennedy but he is enjoying the journey of supporting his club. 

"It's definitely different for me anyway, I suppose maybe the first year when I was out of it and Na Piarsaigh went on to win a county title maybe that was a stranger year watching it from the outside when I was so involved in it. 

"After you get over that stage, you become a real supporter and you forget about the playing side of things and you are up in the stands shouting and roaring. For me it's brillant, I'm a fiveteen walk from the Gaelic Grounds and I'll be walking down to the match with my boys and it has definitely came full circle for me. It's a very enjoyable day and generally the kids love it too and there is a great buzz around county final day walking up the Ennis road," said the six time Limerick SHC winner. 

Kennedy expects Na Piarsaigh's county final showdown against Doon to come right down to the wire. 

"It's hard to call, you take your Na Piarsaigh hat off, it is going to be ferecious and the physicality is going to be massive in the middle third. It's going to be won inside, inside is where the damage is going to be done if guys hold onto the ball and get scores. They were hard to come by last year with the conditions, it's going to come down to something small and someone is going to have to do something magic to win it. 

"Obviously, I'll put my Na Piarsaigh hat on and hope for a one point win and any other Na Piarsaigh supporter would say that and any other Doon person would take a one point win."