Cuala hold aces in this battle royale
TWO teams that have set the gold standard at club level in recent years step forward today. Cuala, chasing back-to-back All-Irelands after becoming the first Dublin team to reach the summit, and Na Piarsaigh, who became the first Limerick club to do the very same thing, and who have that incredible record of never losing a game in Munster.
Playing against the holders doesn’t just mean coming up with a plan to try and shackle Con O’Callaghan, it’s about trying to counteract a slick system of play and brilliantly structured set-up that Mattie Kenny has shaped. Cuala will flood the middle third, leave O’Callaghan in space inside and pounce on any turnover to counter at speed.
The last 18 months reads like the stuff of dreams for O’Callaghan. The titles keep coming: Leinster and All Ireland with Cuala; ditto at Under 21 and senior level with Dublin; even a Sigerson Cup thrown in for good measure recently with UCD. How Pat Gilroy would love to get his hands on him for the Dublin senior hurlers.
Limerick might be a hotbed of competing sporting interests but Kevin Downes made light of the hurling final competing for the atten Paul tions of fans with Ireland’s rugby team looking to make Grand Slam history on the same afternoon at Twickenham.
‘No interest whatsoever,’ was Downes’ straight-up answer when asked in the build-up if he was ever attracted to the oval ball.
The scheduling should encourage some channel surfing from those watching at home. With the rugby kicking off at 2.45pm in a direct clash with the club football final, there is a chance that those following the fortunes of Joe Schmidt’s team might switch over and catch the finale of the hurling action on TG4. It should be worth it after too many recent underwhelming deciders.
‘Growing up, yes, Munster were winning Heineken Cups, the time of O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara, local heroes, and that was the cool thing, the popular thing, in the area,’ admitted Downes. ‘But we had our own crew, never played rugby, and once we went into A rd Sc oil Rísit was fostered even further, as hurling people.
‘We might have lost one or two, Dan Goggin, for example, hurled here up to minor, very talented, but every city club would have examples of that. We just had enough of a crop with real hurling calibre. Rugby was always a kind of a battle, but there was nothing really in that. I just had no grá for the game.
‘Only in the last few years I have started to look at it a bit more, get a little more into it. You’d see the training you’re doing, and you would be envious in some ways. You’d see the Munster lads around a bit, know them to see, and you would be a little jealous of their lifestyle. They’re not going in selling print for the day. They’re going in after training for a nap. And they don’t live at home with the mammy.’
Different worlds perhaps but which will both come into focus this afternoon.
Brian McDonnell’s forensic statistical analysis of the two teams on sixtwofourtwo.com put their full range of qualities on display:
Cuala average 22 shots at the posts and five goal-scoring opportunities per game. Similarly, Na Piarsaigh average 21 shots for points and an identical number of goal-scoring opportunities created. That Cuala’s shooting efficiency is higher is down to their ability to isolate O’Callaghan in space. Ballyea simply weren’t able to handle his threat sufficiently last St Patrick’s Day and it will be interesting to see the tactical approach favoured by Na Piarsaigh.
There is an added incentive for Cuala in terms of history. Back-toback titles would place them in some very esteemed company: namely Galway powerhouses Sarsfields (1993-94), Athenry (2000-01), and Portumna (200809), not to mention the Offaly club joint second with Portumna in the roll of honour, Birr (2002-03).
Na Piarsaigh have the natural quality to win the game — Shane Dowling’s goal against Slaughtneil was one of the strikes of the season so far — and don’t lack for courage under fire as they showed in the same game.
This Cuala team, though, seem built for the open spaces of Croke Park where Darragh O’Connell was Man of the Match in last year’s final. The Dublin champions look ready to join that special list.
Verdict: Cuala