AFL factor in Kerry, Belfast hurling history, new Kildare champions celebrate
Compiled by Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole
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1. AFL factor in Kerry
An all-club decider is on the cards in the Kerry senior football showpiece next Sunday, the last divisional contender bowing out yesterday with Mid Kerry defeated. Their conquerors Dingle were boosted by the number 24 drafted into their starting side before throw-in, Mark O’Connor taking to the Austin Stack Park pitch three weeks after appearing in the AFL Grand Final for Geelong Cats at the MCG in Melbourne.
O’Connor ‘s influence around the middle helped steer Dingle back to the decider after disappointment at that stage last season. They aim to end a 77-year wait for that title next Sunday. The AFL factor is strengthened by the presence of Ben Murphy at midfield for opponents Austin Stacks, the youngster widely tipped to soon join Brisbane Lions, the AFL winners last month.
Those figures around the middle will command attention but there will be no escaping the presence of the Footballer of the Year nominee either. Stacks semi-final victory on Saturday over Rathmore was fashioned by a superb showing from Joe O’Connor as he fired 1-4, including a brilliant two-pointer off his left leg after the half-time hooter had sounded.
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2. A Belfast hurling breakthrough
It’s been an autumn of breakthrough triumphs or else droughts being eased. When St John’s won the Antrim senior hurling championship on Sunday, it was the first time they had achieved that feat in 52 years.
The interesting thing is how little a say the Belfast clubs have had in the hurling championship since that particular landmark.
In 1974, Sarsfields gobbled up their sole title and were beaten in the final the following year. In the intervening years, only O’Donovan Rossa from Belfast won the Volunteer Cup in 1976, ‘77, ’88 and 2004.
It took until 1981 for Ruairí Óg Cushendall to win their first title and they have taken 16 since. But for the last 21 years, it has been a carve-up between them, Dunloy and Loughgiel.
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3. Basquel stars in Dublin
There were only four points in it at the finish in the Dublin final on Saturday night, but in truth the gap was wider as Na Fianna fired a late burst of 1-2 to draw Ballyboden St-Enda’s closer. The victors were full value for their success though and their most decorated player did much to achieve the win for his team. Colm Basquel was outstanding at the heart of Ballyboden’s attack.
On a sodden evening in Parnell Park, he foraged for possession tirelessly and carried the ball relentlessly. In a scoring sense Basquel finished with two points but the full range of his display was summed up by the five converted frees he was fouled for, and the role he played in the penultimate pass before Cein Darcy netted.
A multiple All-Ireland winner and awarded an All-Star in 2023, Basquel endured a difficult season with Dublin, forced off after 20 minutes against Armagh in June with a hamstring injury. Fully fit, he hit his stride in the club final to add a Dublin senior medal to his collection after 2015 and 2019 victories, while also collecting the man-of-the-match award.
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4. Newbridge over troubled waters
While Derry might be a very strong GAA county now, by the time Newbridge won their first county title in 1937 by beating St Patrick’s in The Brandywell, there were only 11 championships played in the county up to that point.
Sunday’s win over Magherafelt moves them up to third in the roll of honour with 12 John McLaughlin Cup wins, one behind Ballinderry, but still some way behind Bellaghy’s tally of 21.
The most remarkable thing about all of this however, is that the current Newbridge group cannot be said to be signposted. Not since 2007, have they won a single underage title in the ‘A’ grade.
Which flies in the face of the logic that you need a series of successful underage teams to translate into senior success.
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5. Athy celebrate after Kildare surprise
A county final upset always jumps out from a hectic weekend programme of games and when the five-in-a-row chasing champions are dethroned, it elevates the achievement. The Naas footballers have scooped up the last four senior titles in Kildare, yet Athy, the last team to triumph before the Naas run of dominance, ripped up the script to claim the title yesterday.
Athy’s last Kildare title was under Covid restrictions in 2020 with a small crowd present, but they got to properly enjoy the celebrations this time. For long-serving players like David Hyland, Kevin Feely and Niall Kelly, who all played in their success back in 2011 as well, this was a sweet win, as emphasised by captain Hyland afterwards.
“If you were following the form book, we haven’t been too far away from Naas. We brought them to extra-time last year when we were missing a few players. We’ve always been within two or three points of them. To have us so far out of the loop, by everyone beforehand, it looked like a bit of a strange mismatch on paper.”
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6. Neighbours set to collide on Galway hurling final day
When St Thomas made their Galway hurling breakthrough in 2012, it was at the expense of their neighbours Loughrea, history achieved with a three-point success. Since then St Thomas have grown into a dominant force, collecting eight titles over a period of 12 seasons. They got the better of Loughrea again in the 2022 decider, prevailing by a single point after a fiercely-contested replay.
The pair will renew acquaintances in this year’s Galway senior decider after their respective semi-final successes on Saturday night. The backdrop offers intrigue as it is Loughrea who are the reigning champions. They closed an 18-year gap for silverware last autumn, wiping away the heartbreak caused by five previous final defeats.
Loughrea had to battle before securing the semi-final spoils, a long-range strike by Kieran Hanrahan registered the game’s only goal late on and securing a five-point win over Turloughmore in the second game of the floodlit double-header in Salthill. St Thomas had flexed their muscles in the opening game, firing 4-18 en route to an 11-point victory over Craughwell.
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