Shefflin’s men are keeping their guard up in bid for a hat-trick of All-Ireland titles
bestowed by the wily Moran and spurred on by a ravenous desire to achieve the ultimate glory.
To do this they will have to shackle a Corofin side that is rich on experience, lavish on skills and high on optimism — hardly surprising in view of their recent track record.
With Daithi Burke and Kieran Fitzgerald underpinning their defence, Gary Sice still a human dynamo in terms of linking the play at 35 years of age, Liam Silke and Ian Burke supreme scoring aces and Michael Farragher and Ronan Steede lending relentless support up front, Corofin’s allround armoury is impressive.
Yet Kilcoo, for all their past misgivings, have no intention of being cast as country cousins.
“We are going there to give it everything,” vowed Branagan.
“We have put in a massive effort to get this far and we owe it to ourselves, our management team and our followers to be the best we can be on the day.”
From goalkeeper Martin McCourt (above) out, Kilcoo comprise an amalgam of battle-hardened experience and precocious youth.
Ryan McEvoy and Aaron Branagan form the central spine of their defence, Aidan Branagan and Aaron Morgan can impose their authority at midfield, Ryan Johnston’s ball-carrying can prove a particularly potent weapon up front and Conor Laverty and Jerome Johnston can pirate scores with an innate poise.
Lob in the cultured free-taking of Paul Devlin, the gung-ho spirit of Dylan Ward and the opportunism of Shealan Johnston and you have a veritable cocktail of skills.
This will be dependent, of course, on Kilcoo keeping their cool, protecting their possession, tracking back constantly and converting their scoring chances when they arise.
It’s a tall order indeed, but then this is the cutting edge of sport, a match in which the chips will be down.
If Daryl Branagan’s reaction to the acclamation of his team’s fans following that spectacular Ulster Club triumph has been embedded in the memory bank, then his declaration in relation to tomorrow’s showdown is sure to make a similar impact.
“We are prepared to put our bodies on the line out on that Croke Park pitch. To win the All-Ireland Club title would mean the world to us,” he insisted.
You surely cannot ask for more than that from any team.
WHEN Ballyhale Shamrocks just managed to ease Slaughtneil out of the recent All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship semi-final, they achieved what many perceived to be a rather hollow victory.
The Derry and Ulster champions had remained on their opponents’ tail for the greater part of the game until a late, out-of-theblue goal effectively buried their aspirations of pulling off what would have been one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition.
Having been suitably chastened, it’s hardly surprising that Henry Shefflin’s side have been picking their steps carefully ahead of tomorrow’s All-Ireland decider against Tipperary and Munster champions Borris-Ileagh at Croke Park (2pm).
Slaughtneil came close to whipping the mat from under their feet, and the spirit and composure that Borris-Ileigh showed in accounting for Galway side St Thomas’ in the other semi-final suggests that they might be as difficult to subdue.
But Ballyhale Shamrocks are not the reigning All-Ireland Club champions, or indeed going for a hat-trick, for nothing. Their resilience and physicality are complemented by finesse and quite often sublime artistry in an attack which includes in Colin Fennelly and TJ Reid, two of the greatest finishers in the sport.
Throw in the talented Cody brothers, Eoin and Brian, and you have the kind of firepower that is difficult to stifle.
Yet Borris-Ileigh have brought sporting romance and a captivating demeanour to the All-Ireland table. And, having upset the applecart in Tipperary, they have no intention of resting on their laurels.
Should the gifted Maher connection — Brendan, Kevin and Kieran — be accorded a degree of freedom, then Ballyhale’s prospects of retaining their All-Ireland crown may be dimmed.
In Brendan Maher in particular, Borris-Ileigh possess one of the most complete hurlers on the island.
His prodigious scoring feats have served his club well, while brothers Kevin and Kieran provide solid support, as do James Devaney and Conor Kenny.
Shefflin admitted after his team’s scare against Slaughtneil that he knew their ability to focus on the one code in an All-Ireland context would bolster their drive for glory, and now he is even more keenly aware that the Borris-Ileigh ambition to follow up their county’s dramatic All-Ireland triumph last year with the club title could prove the perfect spur for an upset.