Fri, 17th January 2025
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By Conor Martin
Na Fianna will look to reach the summit of club hurling this Sunday, as they aim to add yet another trophy to their cabinet by becoming All-Ireland champions.
The Glasnevin men feature in the AIB All-Ireland Club Senior Hurling Final on Sunday, taking on Cork’s Sarsfields at Croke Park (1.30pm).
The first challenge they overcame en route to this weekend’s final was to retain their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1title in October, when they demonstrated their ability to dig deep to eek out a win in their enthralling final against Kilamcud Crokes. Ciarán Stacey’s late late strike ensured the Glasnevin club would be kings of Dublin hurling for the second year in a row.
In Leinster, they beat Clough-Ballacolla and St Martin’s on the way to the final. After impressive performances in the provincial championship across their panel, they saved their best performance to date in the Leinster final, when they overcame Kilcormac Killoughey by six points in their AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling decider. Colin Currie would top-score once more as captain Dónal Burke and goal scorers AJ Murphy and Seán Currie put in match-winning shifts.
Na Fianna proved their ability to dig deep once more in the All-Ireland semi-final against Loughrea in December, as they booked their place in this Sunday’s final.
They were four down at the halfway stage but took the contest by the scruff of the neck in the second half- as Colin Currie claimed 0-10 for himself and the Dublin champions, while AJ Murphy would be the Mobhi Road men’s hero as his score booked a place in the All-Ireland final with a 0-17 to 0-16 win.
The likes of Jack Meagher, Brian Ryan and Paul O'Dea have been key to Na Fianna’s ambitions this season, while the talent & experience of Liam Rushe & Conor McHugh in the spine of the defence have given Niall O'Ceallacháin's side a strong foundation to build on.
The attacking prowess of Murphy, Seán Currie and Dónal Burke will again be key this weekend, as they look to unlock the Sarsfields defence- not forgetting Seán’s brother Colin, who has scored 0-34 in Leinster Championship and All-Ireland series games combined, making him the championship’s top-scorer going into this weekend’s decider.
Murphy is the second-highest Na Fianna top-scorer with 2-10 in provincial and All-Ireland semi-final action combined.
Ó Ceallacháin has guided Na Fianna through heartbreak to successive county titles and a first-ever provincial title. The new Dublin Senior hurling manager and his side have put the past firmly to bed this championship and have kicked on to make history and now they have the chance to become immortals this weekend.
Standing in Na Fianna's way this weekend will be Cork's Sarsfields, who have shone in recent weeks to clinch a place in the All-Ireland Final.
In the Cork Championship, they finished top of Group A with three victories and the highest points difference out of all the groups with +39.
Winning the group meant they went straight into the last four; they would beat Midleton by a point thanks to Aaron Myers's 63rd-minute point.
However, in the Cork decider they would throw away a six-point lead as Imokilly dominated the second-half and dethroned Sarsfields as Cork senior hurling champions.
As a divisional side, Imokilly were unable to represent the Rebel County in Munster, so Sarsfields season continued into the provincial championship.
Their 1-23 to 0-17 defeat at the hands of Imokilly didn’t hamper them in the Munster semi-final, as they beat Clare’s Feakle by 1-25 to 1-17.
Johnny Crowley’s men continued their good form with a ruthless performance against Ballygunner’s backline, as they beat the Waterford side 3-20 to 2-19 to hand Ballygunner their first provincial defeat since 2019.
Shane O’Regan was Sarsfields super sub, as he came off the bench in the 44th minute to score 2-06 on the way to victory.
They would meet Derry’s Slaughtneil in the All-Ireland semi-final in what was a back-and-forth affair, but the efforts of Jack O’Connor and Daniel Hogan, alongside five vital scores from Aaron Myers, helped the Corkmen into the All-Ireland final- thanks to Cathal McCarthy's late late score.
The Munster champions can rely on Hogan, who has scored 0-15 (Munster/All-Ireland games combined) to cause Na Fianna a headache. O’Connor and Myers will also be dangerous, while the workhorse attitude of Colm McCarthy and Cathal McCarthy can drive Sarsfields on. Their backline, meanwhile, features Conor O’Sullivan, who will look to frustrate a talented Na Fianna attack.
There will be a new name on the Tommy Moore Cup come Sunday afternoon as Na Fianna and Sarsfields look to end their club season on the highest of highs.
