Ballyboden rarin' to go for Sunday's Leinster SHC final

Ballyboden rarin’ to go for Sunday’s Leinster SHC final

Fri, 30th November 2018

Ballyboden St Enda's hope to keep the good times rolling for Dublin club hurling when they face Kilkenny's Ballyhale Shamrocks in this Sunday's AIB Leinster Club SHC final at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow (2.0).

Cuala won the last two provincial titles on their way to All-Ireland glory and Boden will look to secure their first Leinster title against the Kilkenny kingpins this weekend.

"Cuala have definitely given Dublin hurling a lift so hopefully we’ll get more respect because of that,” says Boden's Conor Dooley.

“I wasn’t part of the team years ago that were winning county titles for fun. So it’s new enough for me.”

Conor knows the their opponents are the most successful club in the province and look to be coming into their best form.

“We’re expecting a good battle. We know the experience they have on and off the field. We’re under no illusions. They’re an experienced outfit.

“They’ve played at the top level at club and county. So look, we’ll go out and give it a good bash. We’ll throw everything we can at them. And hopefully it will get us over the line.”

For Conor's forward team-mate Conal Keaney Sunday can't come quick enough.

Keaney continued: "It's a Kilkenny team and everybody is talking about how good they are,

"Cuala were the All-Ireland champions for the last two years and came out of Leinster relatively comfortably, so we'll take some confidence from that.

"I don't think we're as good as Cuala were, but we are there now representing every club in Dublin and we are going to give it one hell of a shot.

"To say that Ballyhale have superstars is correct, but we also have superstars and have young lads coming through that want to make their mark.

"We are not going to sit back and be in awe of them. We have come out the right side of some tight games so far and that will stand to us.

"All the young lads coming through in Ballyboden are serious, serious hurlers. They may not have got the rub of the green at inter-county so far but they are desperate for that to change with the club.

"I'm looking forward to seeing them drive it on Sunday, they have it in them, more so than the senior players like myself, Malachy Travers and David Curtin, to win the game on Sunday for us."

LEINSTER CLUB SHC: Roll of Honour

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) (8): 1978, 1980, 1983, 1989, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014.

Birr (Offaly) (7): 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007.

Rathnure (Wexford) (6): 1971, 1973, 1977, 1986, 1987, 1998.

St Rynagh’s (Offaly) (4): 1970, 1972, 1982, 1993.

James Stephen’s (Kilkenny) (4): 1975, 1981, 2004, 2005.

Buffer’s Alley (Wexford) (3): 1985, 1988, 1992.

Glenmore (Kilkenny) (2): 1990, 1995.

Camross (Laois) (2): 1976, 1996.

Cuala (Dublin) (2): 2016, 2017.

O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) (2): 2003, 2010.

Oulart-The-Ballagh (Wexford) (1): 2015.