All Ireland Schools Hurling Semi-Final Preview

KILKENNY have enjoyed much the better of their rivalry with Tipperary in recent times, so much so that they have won 10 of their last 13 league and championship encounters, but will the momentum swing towards the Premier County this Saturday in the Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Croke Cup (SHA) semi-final?

Both counties send their colleges' champions into action at Clonmel in what promises to be the stand-out game of the weekend when St Kieran's take on Our Ladys Templemore with the weight of several family connections attached to both teams. That brings its own pressures but the current players on both sides look intent on writing their own legacies. 

'We have lots of familiar names in our set up,' says Kierans manager Liam Smith. 'Sean Carey, son of DJ, is there with us. Evan Carroll is the grandson of Ted Carroll, Martin Keoghan is a brother of Jack who was on the team for the last two seasons, and both are sons of Liam.

'Also, Adrian and Darren Mullen are nephews of the Fennellys of Ballyhale and first cousins to Michael and Colin Fennelly.' 

There are other remarkable stories within the Kierans squad. Joe Connolly is first cousin of Dublin footballer Diarmuid Connolly, while Colum Prendeville doubles up as an Irish international basketball player. Brian Crowdle has already played representative golf for his country.

The famous school has recently landed a 54th Leinster title and are going for 21st Croke Cup title. But standing in their way are Our Lady's who bounced back from the disappointment of losing the Harty Cup final to reach the last four of the national series. 

Noel Fogarty is one of those closely attached to the team which also shows a lot of familiar names.

'Brian McGrath is the younger brother of Tipp seniors Noel and John,' says Fogarty. 'And their father Pat won an All Ireland Colleges Croke cup with Templemore C B S in 1978 before going onto a fine career himself.

'But there are players here who are excelling in other sports as well. Stephen Nolan has represented the Irish international soccer team at under 15, 16, and 17 level.

'Ray Mc Cormack will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother Dan by making the Tipp senior hurling panel in the future,' Fogarty adds. 'By the way one of our selectors Joe Gallagher is currently on that county senior hurling panel.

'And we have lads on the county minor hurling panel and they are Paddy Cadell, Diarmaid Ryan, Gerry Kelly, Lyndon Fairbrother, Brian McGrath and Tom Murphy. Kevin Hasset was on last year's minor team,' concludes Fogarty who himself won an All Ireland Colleges Croke Cup with Templemore in 1978.

Meanwhile, at Templemore this Saturday in the Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Paul Mc Girr Cup (Jun F), St Mary's Edenderry will take on Colaiste Chriost Ri.

'We are a co-ed secondary school with just over 800 students and some 60 teaching staff,' says St Mary's manager Enda Mitchell. 

'Rather uniquely our catchment area sprawls across no less than four counties with its location in north Offaly being just inside the border with county Kildare and a stone’s throw from neighbouring Meath and Westmeath.' 
The school has a long and proud tradition in Gaelic football with many famous former students including Finbar Cullen who played for Ireland against Australia in three International Rules Series from 1998 to 2000, as well as Stephen and Seamus Darby, the latter of course whose goal denied Kerry what would have been a famous five in a row in 1982. 

'In more recent times the school has seen the likes of Niall and Conor McNamee, Brian and Niall Darby, Anton Sullivan (Offaly), Ger Leech, Ryan Caffrey (Westmeath) Eoin O’Flaherty and Cathal McNally (Kildare) all graduating to the senior ranks of their respective county teams,' says Mitchell.

Daniel Flynn, Paul Cribbin and Sean Hurley have (Kildare) have also played Aussie Rules in the AFL.

'St Mary’s football teams have won nine Leinster and three All-Ireland titles in the last ten years and that is down to the sterling work put in by the 12 feeder clubs to the school,' continues Mitchell. 'Without their fantastic support and co-operation nothing would be possible.' 

Saturday is also a busy day in the Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Paddy Buggy Cup (SHB) series. 

AT DCU, stalwarts of this competition St Raphaels College Loughrea and St Louis Grammar
School Ballymena lock horns with each other. 

Antrim U-21 Conor Gillan is involved with the Ballymena team and recalls that current players Ryan Elliot, Ciaran Elliot, Seann Elliot, Keelan Molloy and Conal Doherty-Cunning have all had fathers or uncles compete in at least one All Ireland club final with Dunloy. 

'James McNaughton's father won an All Ireland with Loughgiel Shamrocks and we have 13 dual players that up until last weekend represented the school in both senior football and hurling,' Gillan says.  

'In getting to the semi final stage, the school won only their second Ulster title, the first in 27 years and six of that team collected College All Stars this year - the highest tally in 28 years.' 

That should be a cracking battle as will the Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Dr Eamonn O Sullivan (SF) semi final between CBS Mitchelstown and Dunshaughlin CC.

'We have plenty of family history here too,' says Dunshaughlin manager Mick O'Keeffe. 'Adam and Rian Kealy’s fathers played with Meath and are nephews of All Ireland winner Richie of 1990’s fame.

'Our forward Ross McQuillan is son of Armagh player and current Armagh u21 selector Martin from the Cullyhanna club. Ross plays his football with Cullyhanna and is in the Armagh minor team of 2016. 
'Corner forward Cian Gallogly is the grandson of Jim Kearney who played midfield for Meath in 1939 and 1949 All Irelands.

'And other Dunshaughlin ex-students of note included Jack Quinn, Noel Curran and more recently Caoimhin King.'

The school's links to the area of Dunshaughlin are very strong - when the local club won the Meath SFC in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and the Leinster Club in 2002 14 of the 25 starting team were ex-students of theirs.

'There are lot of other sub-plots,' O'Keefe adds. 'Our midfielder Conor Mooney is a scratch golfer, while our half forward Niall Byrne plays soccer with St Patrick's Athletic.'

Some other red letter games complete the agenda this weekend and in next week's review we will shine a light on the other Croke Cup semi-final between Presentation College Athenry and Árdscoil Rís North, while the Abbey C.B.S and Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown Buggy Cup semi-final will also be analysed in great detail.