MLR’s epic journey reaches end of the road

Over 20 years ago the club football championship was enlivened by the presence of Carlow champions Éire Óg at the last club final in the old Croke Park but even by that giddy standard, the presence this afternoon of the county's hurling champions is perhaps the greatest act of insurrection by one the GAA's smallest and traditionally weakest units.

To complete a vivid contrast, their opponents will be one of the greatest club sides in the history of the championship – Portumna who are on the cusp of four All-Irelands in nine years.

To a far greater extent than football, hurling is a caste system and for Mount Leinster Rangers to smash it over the past four months has been remarkable.

That progress has been built on unshakeable self-belief, most recently on view when former champions Loughgiel closed on their shoulder in the semi-final and yet it was the underdogs who took command for the closing stages.

Teenager Diarmuid Byrne and two of the Coady brothers, Richard and Edward provide the team’s bulwark in an impressive half-back line, epitomising the unexpected composure of the team.

That composure is also obvious in the scoring exploits of Denis Murphy, whose dead-ball reliability has underwritten their advance on Croke Park.

Stature and experience
If Portumna's stature and experience of the big day suggests a big advantage it's useful to remember that MLR were here two years ago for the intermediate final during which Murphy caused anxiety by missing his first free but went on to nail the remaining 10.

But Portumna have the most renowned scorer in the game. Joe Canning has been playing a freer role this campaign but his prowess with the placed ball means that pressure gets turned into points.

Above everything, defeated semi-final opponents Na Piarsaigh noted the cuteness of the Galway side, their instinctive sense of what to do and ability to draw frees.

MLR beat the senior champions of two years ago the last day but the multi-garlanded Portumna are a step too far.