Daniel Gleeson of Na Fianna CLG pictured at the AIB Senior Leinster Hurling Final Club Launch at Dalkey Castle in Dublin.
By Michael Devlin
For the second time in three years, a Meath team will face Kilkenny opposition in the Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship final, as Na Fianna take on Dunnamaggin at Nowlan Park on Saturday afternoon.
However, if you look back at the roll of honour since the competition’s inception in 2000, appearances of Royal County clubs in Leinster’s third-tier showpiece have been few and far between. In 2016 Ratoath challenged Mooncoin, while back in the millennium year, Boardsmill competed for the inaugural title. Both ended up on the losing side in those occasions.
It’s a stark contrast to Kilkenny, who have been represented in every final since 2001, winning 13 of those 17 championships. While that record may be daunting to on-comers, Na Fianna’s Daniel Gleeson is no-less delighted to be representing Meath on Saturday.
“Definitely yeah, it wouldn’t be a regular occurrence, but we’re delighted to be there,” Gleeson told GAA.ie. “We’re relishing every game we play, every game is a first for us in the club. For Meath hurling, anything like this is a boost for us.
“It’s clear to see how far ahead Kilkenny hurling is, and we expect nothing less in Nowlan Park. But we’ll be there on the day to give it our all. The record of Meath teams in Leinster finals over the years, a few have got there but not gotten over the line, but we’ll look forward to the challenge and we’ll give it a rattle anyhow.”
Na Fianna take their place in the final following a gripping 3-12 to 2-13 win over Wexford’s Taghmon-Camross in the semi-final, which culminated in a dramatic finish as Shane Walsh's injury-time goal snatched the win for the Meath men. Taghmon-Camross led the game all the way up to that point until Barry Slevin floated a high ball into the square and Walsh did the rest.
“The last day against Camross we were very lucky. We got ahead just at the right time at the end of the game. Camross had to make a long journey up to us and maybe had one eye on the final, we caught them on the hop on the day. But we’re there anyhow, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Jack Brett of Dunnamaggin, left, and Daniel Gleeson of Na Fianna CLG pictured at the AIB Senior Leinster Hurling Final Club Launch at Dalkey Castle in Dublin.
The formation of the existing Na Fianna club came about in January 2000 after amalgamation of the Baconstown and Enfield clubs. The new Na Fianna entered teams in the Intermediate football and hurling championships that year as well as a Junior 'B' and 'C' football team. Their first major championship win was the Intermediate hurling title in 2006.
This season the hurlers competed in Division One, but six defeats in seven games saw them suffer demotion. Their season rapidly improved however as they embarked on memorable run to the Meath IHC, beating Gaeil Colmcille 2-19 to 1-9 last month, before continuing that form in their Leinster campaign with a 6-14 to 1-10 trouncing of Crookedwood in a quarter-final clash.
“We struggled in the league, but we were never too far off any of the senior teams at the same time,” says Gleeson. “We were relegated, but the experience of playing those senior teams at the start of the year definitely helped us. It felt like we were improving as the year went on and we’re learning every game.”
While Na Fianna had plenty to spare over Westmeath champions Crookedwood, their victory came at a cost. Goalkeeper Eoin Reilly was forced off with a nasty eye injury midway through the second-half when the ball pierced his faceguard, while key forward Kevin Coffey broke his collarbone.
While Reilly recovered to play an instrumental role in the win over Taghmon-Camross, Coffey’s injury has ruled him out for the next six weeks. However, Gleeson is confident his side have the players on the bench ready to step up and do the business, evidenced none more so than the last day’s game-winner, Shane Walsh.
“Eoin was back the last day, he got the clear the Monday before and played and made a couple of really good saves in the second half that probably made the difference,” says Gleeson. “The game was possibly getting away from us and if those goals had have went in, it would have been a different story.
“Shane Walsh came in the last few games as a sub, having not hurled all year, and he got the important goal the last day. It was a huge addition to us. We have lads there ready to come in, equally as able as the starting 15.”
