On the last Sunday of the GAA season it took Na Fianna of Dublin and Sarsfields of Cork until the very last seconds to each secure a first All-Ireland club hurling final appearance.
Both sides won their respective semi-finals by just a single point in contests that were level in injury time as the 2024 GAA year smouldered right until the very last puck. It will now be a Christmas like no other for two sides preparing for a first ever All-Ireland club hurling decider – which takes place at Croke Park in January.
“It’s unbelievable, especially after leaving it so late and being behind for so long,” said Na Fianna forward Colin Currie after his side’s 0-17 to 0-16 comeback victory over Loughrea in Thurles.
Loughrea were four points ahead at the turnaround but a better second-half performance by Na Fianna led to an edge-of-the-seat finale in which AJ Murphy was the hero by clipping over the winning point in the 64th minute.
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[ Murphy has the final word as Na Fianna edge out Loughrea to reach finalOpens in new window ]
“It probably hasn’t sunk in yet, but we’re just delighted,” added Currie, who scored 0-10 of his side’s total on a famous day for the Mobhi Road outfit who lost the 2000 All-Ireland club football showpiece.
“We were fairly disappointed with how we played [in the first half]. They were much better than us all over the pitch.
“There wasn’t enough fight even off the ball, tracking runners, it just wasn’t good enough. But at the same time we were only down four points and there was huge belief that we could turn that around.”
That they did.
By the time Murphy was hitting over his winning point Sarsfields had already booked their place in the decider following a 0-18 to 0-17 victory over Derry’s Slaughtneil in Newbridge.
Slaughtneil had a glorious opportunity in the last of four added minutes to score a match-winning goal but the sliotar was blazed over rather than under the crossbar.
For Sarsfields this end of year odyssey has been particularly unexpected after they were comprehensively beaten 1-23 to 0-17 by divisional side Imokilly in the Cork SHC final. But their shock Munster final win over All-Ireland favourites Ballygunner changed the complexion of this entire competition – because it gave a genuine shot at glory to all the remaining teams.
[ Sarsfields edge out Slaughtneil in game that came down to inchesOpens in new window ]
“It’s been an incredible journey,” admitted Sarsfields manager Johnny Crowley. “We had to regather the troops [after the county final], sit back and as a management team probably reassess the whole thing.”
All clubs have their story but it is impossible to tell this Sarsfields tale without referencing Teddy McCarthy, who died last year aged 57. Last week Sarsfields announced they are to name their revamped club grounds after their most famous son.
“Teddy was certainly looking down on us in the last minute of the game, maybe it was Teddy blew it over the bar as opposed to them putting it over it,” added Crowley. “It’s the one missing element of the whole thing, Ted and Conor McCarthy and Ger Mohally, three absolutely tremendous clubmen – it’s for the likes of them today.
“God, I’d give my right hand for Teddy to be here today but I think he’s looking down on us and I’m sure he’s the proudest angel in the sky at the moment.”
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