Sunday
All-Ireland Club SHC final: Ballygunner (Waterford) v Loughrea (Galway), Croke Park, 1.30pm (Live on TG4)
Ballygunner have their chance now to finally bury all the talk of underachieving at All-Ireland level. It has taken them longer than they would have liked to make a return to club hurling’s biggest day, but they arrive as strong favourites to leave with the Tommy Moore Cup for a second time.
They will also arrive at Croke Park much more battle hardened than their opponents having beaten the champions of Limerick (Na Piarsaigh), Cork (Sarsfields), Clare (Éire Óg) and Wexford (St Martin’s) along the way.
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Since retaining the title in Galway at the start of November, Loughrea’s only competitive match was December’s All-Ireland semi-final over Derry’s Slaughtneil, but they have been boosted by the news that centrefielder Cullen Killeen been cleared to play.
At a meeting of the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) on Friday night in Dublin, the GAA’s independent arbitration tribunal set aside Killeen’s suspension for striking Slaughtneil’s Brendan Rogers at the very end of the game. His presence could prove vital - Killeen plays a pivotal role in the Loughrea midfield and was actually voted TG4 Man of the Match for his performance against Slaughtneil.
Stephen O’Keeffe remains one of the best goalkeepers in the country and the spine of the Ballygunner team should give them the upper hand. However, it is their firepower Loughrea will fear most. Pauric Mahony’s accuracy from placed balls will punish any frees conceded by Loughrea inside their 65. And who will tame Dessie Hutchinson on Sunday? Patrick Fitzgerald has the potential to cut loose at Croke Park while Peter Hogan and Michael Mahony have also been chipping in with scores throughout the campaign. There simply appear to be too many fires for Loughrea to extinguish them all.
Verdict: Ballygunner
All-Ireland Club SFC final: Dingle (Kerry) v St Brigid’s (Roscommon), Croke Park, 3.40pm (Live on TG4)
Recent history indicates that beaten finalists manage to subsequently return and get the job done. Kilcoo, Kilmacud Crokes and Glen have all regrouped after All-Ireland final defeats in recent years and returned to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup. St Brigid’s hope to follow suit. The Roscommon champions lost the final in heartbreaking circumstances two years ago, so it is testament to the resilience within the dressingroom that St Brigid’s picked themselves off the floor and got back here again.
Anthony Cunningham’s side displayed tactical acumen in how they straitjacketed Scotstown in the semi-final – denying Rory Beggan the opportunity to launch two-pointers. It was a defensive masterclass of disciplined defending. And yet St Brigid’s still needed to clear two goal-bound efforts off their goal-line. Ballina hit them for three goals in a Connacht semi-final, Moycullen scored one, as did Scotstown. Dingle, for all the drama of last-gasp winners and extra-time nail-biters, have only conceded a single goal since winning the Kerry championship.
Tom O’Sullivan’s dynamism is a major factor for them, how will St Brigid’s counteract his surging runs? And the difference Mark O’Connor’s availability makes to the pivotal midfield battle cannot be overstated. Up front, Paul Geaney, Conor Geaney and Dylan Geaney are all potential match-winners. St Brigid’s look a better balanced team but they will need Ben O’Carroll to have a big day in front of the posts. Brian Stack is the heartbeat of the team but he shipped a very heavy knock two weeks ago.
St Brigid’s are back with effectively the same group of players from 2024 – redemption driving them forward. This has been the plan for two years. Dingle hadn’t really planned on being here, their main ambition was to win Kerry. But here they are, a Kerry team playing a Roscommon team in an All-Ireland final.
Don’t pretend tradition doesn’t trickle through the cracks. There is a fair smattering of players in the Dingle dressingroom who know what it takes to leave Croke Park with a cup sitting at the front of the bus. Dingle, throughout this campaign, have been winning matches they had little right to – snatching victory at the death from St Finbarr’s and staging a comeback of comebacks to down Ballyboden. Recent history suggests this is meant to be St Brigid’s day. But Dingle have been tearing up scripts for months now.
Verdict: Dingle
The rest of the weekend’s GAA fixtures
Saturday
Walsh Cup final: Dublin v Galway, Parnell Park, 1.30pm
McGrath Cup final: Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, 1.30pm
Munster SHL final: Waterford v Limerick, Mallow 3.15pm (Live on TG4)
Dr McKenna Cup final: Donegal v Monaghan, Healy Park, Omagh, 5pm
Connacht FBD Plate final: Leitrim v London, Connacht Centre of Excellence, 6.30pm
Sunday
Connacht FBD League Cup final: Mayo v Galway, Tuam, 1pm
Walsh Cup Shield final: Kilkenny v Kildare, Callan, 2pm
Kehoe Cup, Round 2: Meath v Wicklow, Dunganny, 2pm
