Kilmallock up against All-Ireland champions – and the weight of recent history
Limerick champions have a poor record against Gunners
GAA Coverage in association with Lyons of Limerick Ford
SINCE Limerick made the breakthrough and won the 2018 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, local clubs have yet to replicate the success.
Na Piarsaigh in 2017 are the last Shannonside club to win the top prize in provincial club hurling, in the campaign that ended with an All-Ireland final defeat to Cuala after a replay.
All seven subsequent championships (there was no competition in 2020 due to Covid) saw the Limerick champions fall at the hands of Waterford kingpins Ballygunner.
And it is the Deise men who stand in the way of Kilmallock.
For the last four years, the dominant Gunners have come to the TUS Gaelic Grounds and left with the victory. Now, for the first time since 2019, the best Limerick has to offer will travel to Azzurri Walsh Park.
On that occasion seven years ago, Dessie Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony struck 0-5 each as the Deise men emerged with a 0-17 to 0-9 victory against a Patrickswell side including Aaron Gillane, Cian Lynch and Diarmaid Byrnes.
Since then, Na Piarsaigh, Doon and Kilmallock have tried and failed to overcome the Waterford side who have won 13 county titles in a row.
That run has seen them add five Munster titles as well as two All-Ireland titles including defeating Loughrea in January in Croke Park. So with all these medals and trophies secured, can the Balbec be the team to knock them off their perch?
When the sides last met in the 2021 Munster final, the Waterford men were huge 3-20 to 1-12 winners at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Ciaran O’Connor, Robbie Hanley, Aaron Costello (if fit after a recent injury), Micheal Houlihan, Oisin O’Reilly and Graeme Mulcahy all started that day and are in line to feature again for Kilmallock.
Conor Hanley Clarke came on that day and has now taken over as goalkeeper. Phelim O’Reilly, Robbie Egan and Killian Hayes also had to be content with a spot on the bench in Cork that day but are now very much nailed down their starting positions.
Add to that, young guns Jackie Dwane, Pierce Connery and, of course, Limerick star Shane O’Brien and the Balbec will feel they are in a strong position to end the stranglehold Ballygunner have had on Limerick champions in recent years.
But Kilmallock know a thing or two about this competition. Three times they have won the provincial title - 1992, 1994 and 2014.
That most recent title a dozen years ago saw the south Limerick side prevail in two extra-time epics - the never-to-be forgotten win over Sarsfields of Cork on home soil in Fitzgerald Park before also needing an extra innings to overcome Cratloe at the TUS Gaelic Grounds a fortnight later.
Graeme Mulcahy was the captain that year and is skipper again for this campaign. In 2014, he scored 0-10 from play in the Munster Championship. Such leadership may be required again this time around.
2021 Munster Club SHC final:
SCORERS - BALLYGUNNER: Dessie Hutchinson 1-5; Pauric Mahony 0-7 (4f, 1 ‘65); Billy O’Keeffe 1-3; Kevin Mahony 1-0; Paddy Leavey and Peter Hogan 0-2 each; Mikey Mahony 0-1; KILMALLOCK: Conor Hanley Clarke 1-2 (1-0f); Kevin O’Donnell 0-3 (2f); Robbie Hanley 0-2; Graeme Mulcahy, Oisin O’Reilly, Ciaran O’Connor, Pheilim O’Reilly and Killian Hayes 0-1 each.
BALLYGUNNER: Stephen O’Keeffe; Ian Kenny, Barry Coughlan, Tadhg Foley; Shane O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony, Peter Hogan; Billy O’Keeffe, Kevin Mahony, Pauric Mahony; Subs: Conor Power for Hogan (54 mins); Eddie Hayden for S O’Sullivan (56 mins); Harry Ruddle for O’Keeffe (57 mins); Barry O’Sullivan for Pauric Mahony (58 mins); Jake Foley for Hutchinson (58 mins).
KILMALLOCK: Barry Hennessy; Liam English, Mark O’Loughlin, Dan Joy; Philip O’Loughlin, Ciaran O’Connor, Paudie O’Brien; Robbie Hanley, Aaron Costello; Michael Houlihan, Oisin O’Reilly, David Woulfe; Graeme Mulcahy, Gavin O’Mahony, Kevin O’Donnell; Subs: Paddy O’Loughlin for Micheal Houlihan (25 mins), Conor Hanley Clarke for Philip O’Loughlin (h-t); Pheilim O’Reilly for Woulfe (43 mins); Robbie Egan for O’Mahony (43 mins); Killian Hayes for Costello (51 mins).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).