Can Limerick stop Galway’s two-in-a-row?

Mannions could have been a Tribe of three

GALWAY & LIMERICK GEAR UP FOR TODAY’S ALL-IRELAND FINAL

TWO Mannion brothers will line out for Galway today but, only for a spate of devastating injuries, it could have been three.

Cathal and Padraic play for the Ahascraghfohenagh club and four years ago the former became the first man from his parish to represent the county since Tim Sweeney in the 1950s.

The attacker and defender will be aiming to create further history and emulate the successful Galway team of ‘87 and ‘88 by winning back-to-back titles.

Padraic was hampered by a number of debilitating back injuries as a teenager but he has made a huge impact since he lined out for the seniors in 2015. He is now one of the favourites to be named hurler of the year and he is also expected to land a second successive All Star.

Last year Cathal, 23, and 25-year-old Padraic secured All Star awards, becoming the 22nd set of brothers to achieve the prestigious honour.

But their eldest brother Ciaran had looked like being the family’s best chance of landing hurling silverware.

The 30 year-old, who now works as a PE teacher in Shanghai, had been a hugely promising hurler in the noughties but suffered from serious injuries and was knocked back by three cruciate tears.

Asked if Ciaran would have been talented enough to play in the current Galway team if he had avoided those horrendous injuries, Padraic told the42.ie: “Oh he definitely would. He’d be better than me anyway.

“He’s done it [his cruciate] three times in two different knees. He’d a bad old run of it.”

Ciaran watched his younger siblings’ thrilling semifinal replay win over Clare in Thurles, but he had to return to China yesterday for the new school term.