AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Final Preview

AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Final Preview
 
Consider the following facts: no Clare football team has appeared in an All-Ireland final since 1953 when the Minors lost to Mayo; no Clare football team has won an All-Ireland Final since 1929 when the Minors defeated Longford.

--Wednesday, March 17--
Croke Park: Kilmurry-Ibrickane v St Gall’s, 3.45pm

Today, Kilmurry-Ibrickane are just an hour away from bridging that 81-year gap, providing of course, they can overcome the challenge of St Gall’s. It will be a tough task for the Banner side as the Ulster champions were finalists as recently as 2006 when they lost out to Salthill-Knocknacarra by 0-6 to 0-7. That was the last occasion when the final failed to produce a goal.
            
And stopping teams scoring goals has been Kilmurry’s forte in the current campaign, as they have not had the green flag raised against them in five outings. Indeed, the Clare representatives have conceded a grand total of just 0-28, which is an average of less than six points per game and a similarly parsimonious performance this afternoon would surely see the Andy Merrigan Cup travel to Clare for the first time.
            
However, a less than promising omen is that on the last occasion a team qualified for the final without conceding a goal they failed to pick up the title. In the 2006/07 campaign Dr Crokes overcame Nemo Rangers, the Nire, St Brendan’s and Moorefield (after a replay) without conceding a major. In the final the Kingdom representatives did concede their first goal, but managed a 1-9 to 1-9 draw with Crossmaglen Rangers. Ironically, they denied the Orchard County champions a goal in the replay but went down on a 1-5 to 0-13 scoreline.
            
St Gall’s have not exactly been generous at the back either and have conceded just two goals in five outings (one each to Cavan Gaels and Corofin) with Andrew McClean, Anthony Healy and Séan Kelly the most prominent of a well-drilled rearguard. Spearheading their attack is this year’s top marksman, Conor McGourty, who has registered 2-25 to date and is assured of pole position in the top scorers’ charts. Rory Gallagher and Kieran McGourty have provided solid support to CJ and there will be huge pressure on Kilmurry defenders Darren Hickey, Martin McMahon and captain Enda Coughlan to tame that trio.     
            
In the matter of experience at Headquarters, the Antrim champions definitely hold an edge. Just over a month ago, no fewer than eight of today’s panel were on duty at Croke Park when St Gall’s took on St Lachtain’s in the Intermediate Hurling Final, albeit in a losing cause, while 11 of the semi-final starters against Corofin (Ronan Gallagher, Colin Brady, Anthony Healy, Sean Kelly, Aodhan Gallagher, Kevin McGourty, Kieran McGourty, Kevin Niblock, Conor McGourty, Andrew McClean and Terry O’Neill) featured in the final four years ago.   
            
It would appear then that the odds are stacked somewhat against Kilmurry-Ibrickane, but throughout the campaign the Banner representatives have confounded the pundits, especially with their wins over Kerins O’Rahilly’s and against a Portlaoise side that had stormed through Leinster. Can they do it again? Only time will tell, but a nice bonus for the winner of today’s contest is that they will help their county join a very elite club...counties that have provided All-Ireland Senior Club winners in both codes. Cork and Galway are the only members, but either Antrim or Clare are set to join them.

Click here to read the story of the AIB GAA Club Championships so far.