Irish Examiner, February 14, 2004

THOUGH only the middle of February, tomorrow’s meeting of O’Loughlin Gaels and Newtownshandrum, Leinster champions against Munster’s best is whetting the appetite of hurling folk just about anywhere.

The subplots are as numerous as they are appealing. There is the obvious Cork v Kilkenny divide, made all the more emotional by the Cats’ All-Ireland Final victory over the Rebels last September.

O’Loughlin’s have two sets of brothers from the Kilkenny panel; Martin and Andy Comerford along with Sean and Brian Dowling.

Newtown’s county players are the O’Connor twins, Ben and Jerry, Pat Mulcahy and sub-keeper Paul Morrissey.

Then there’s the clash of styles. O’Loughlin Gaels are classic Kilkenny with their perfect blend of strength, skill and guile. Newtown boast that revolutionary possession game, based on speed, support, skill, accuracy and superb conditioning.

Above all, these are two really hungry teams, bidding to create history in their community. This is an opportunity that may never come again.

“We’re ready,” said O’Loughlin’s selector Mick Nolan. “If we’re not, we’ll never be ready for anything. Trying to get to an All-Ireland final on St. Patrick’s Day in Croke Park is the carrot. If you haven’t been there before, it’s the biggest day in a club’s history. You’d be going to these matches all your life, dreaming, wondering if your own club would ever get there. For any club, this is the ultimate.”

And there is a similar attitude amongst all in Newtownshandrum, according to coach Ger Cunningham.

“Since the quarter-final we’ve played five matches against the Cork U21’s, UCC, Limerick, Waterford and the Cork seniors. In general, we got on all right though we were a bit below par when we were missing the Cork boys. But then everyone knows our fellows don’t perform without Ben, Jerry and Pat Mulcahy.

“We arranged the programme so we’d have three inter-county games after the lads got back from their break a few weeks ago. Limerick was a good performance, against Waterford the conditions were poor but we still played well. The game against Cork had a bad first half but there was a big improvement after half-time, and that was without Ben. Overall I’m happy, the lads look sharp, eager and hungry for hurling now.”

O’Loughlin’s followed a similar programme. They have been back in full training since December 28 and have played five challenge games. Having never met before, neither knows what to expect. The video recorders have been kept busy as a result though Cunningham did venture to see O’Loughlin’s in the flesh.

“They’re a big, physical team, no offence to anyone else but they’re the biggest challenge we’ve faced to date. They are good hurlers, a typical Kilkenny side, a big physical team but well able to move the ball“.

And Mick Nolan’s assessment of Newtown?

“We didn’t go see them or anything, just watched the videos. They play a very fast, forceful game, much like ourselves actually, so it’ll be interesting to see how it pans out on the day.”

Strength against strength then, and nowhere will that be more crucial than on the respective 40’s. The half-back line has got to be the strongest line in any hurling team with ambitions, centre-back the linchpin. In Pat Mulcahy and Andy Comerford, Newtown and O’Loughlin Gaels have two of the very best around. The O’Connor twins are the destructive force up front for the Cork champions but Mulcahy is the pivot.

The older Comerford (brother Martin is their major playmaker up front) has been equally influential for the Gaels, especially in their last-minute county final replay win over Young Irelands.

If either of these two titans is broken, their team will most likely lose; if both stand up (or, least likely of all, if both fail), then given the recent history of both O’Loughlin Gaels (especially) and Newtownshandrum, this game will go into time added on.

That’s how it’s seen here. Scores coming from far out, from the wings, from placed balls with Nigel Skehan and Ben O’Connor trading lasers, but very little coming up the middle.

A point or two between them in the end, scored perhaps in injury-time. The winner? TG4 definitely and all neutral fans, after witnessing a classic.

Of the participating teams, O’Loughlin Gaels to finally leave it just too late, Newtown to advance.