The curtain is finally set to come down on Brian Begley's seemingly never-ending season on Sunday in Thurles. The All-Ireland under-21 hurling final against Galway will be the last waltz on his extraordinary Limerick tour. Begley began by headlining Limerick's opening show of the Munster under-21 football campaign. In dispatching Cork - never before denied a place in the provincial final - Limerick were suddenly finding new dates beyond their expected itinerary. The first ever Munster title and a shock win over holders Westmeath was only slightly overshadowed by losing the final to Tyrone in Mullingar last May.
Begley was then to the fore for both the senior hurlers and footballers in their games against Cork, although results this time stayed on the predicted course. The latter, however, did require a touch Joe Deane's magic to tip the balance in Cork's favour.
Begley also played for the under-21 hurlers, and the only players anywhere near as busy this season have been his two fellow dual performers Stephen Lucey and Brian Geary. On Sunday, this trio will once more form the backbone of a Limerick team loaded with talent and buzzing with high expectations.
"Well, I not quite burnt out yet anyway," says Begley, despite heading into his 11th championship game of the season. "But it's been a long year for sure."
The 20-year-old ironed his name on Limerick's number 14 shirt in a routine challenge game against All-Ireland club champions St Joseph's Doora-Barefield. Begley was named at full forward rather than full back, where he had made his senior championship debut against Waterford the summer before. At the end of the afternoon he had picked up 2-2. Playing at full forward, he says, brings much less pressure. "It's a position where you make your own room, and in fact I'm a lot more comfortable there than when I played in the defence. I suppose it is my best position."
His 6ft 5in frame and 15 1/2 stone frame has without fail caused major headaches for the opposition ever since. Around 11,000 witnessed their exhibition in last month's Munster under-21 final replay against Cork, who had somehow managed a draw two weeks earlier. In the end, the margin was an unprecedented 21 points, Begley had contributed 1-2, and Limerick had snatched a first ever Munster under-21 football and hurling double.
"Everyone clicked from one to 15," says Begley of the replay. "That was a big win for us and we had a big night afterwards.
"But we had to come down from that high very quickly for the semi-final against Antrim. They never really threatened us but it was a tough second half. We're certainly ready now for the final and we know exactly what to expect from Galway."
Can he continue to juggle two sports? "I'll see how it goes over the next couple of years, but I suppose if I had a preference, it would be for hurling. But certainly not by much. At the moment that's where Limerick has got the better tradition but the breakthrough with the footballers this year was a very significant boost."
Meanwhile delegates have given the Limerick county board approval to proceed with their proposed £8 million re-development of the Gaelic Grounds.
The plan is to increase the capacity to 52,000 with seating for 24,000. The present capacity is 31,000.
Mick O'Dwyer has been re-appointed for another two-year term as Kildare football team manager. O'Dwyer will continue as manager alongside selectors John Joe Walsh and Paddy Byrne.
He accepted an offer to remain as manager after a proposal for him to continue was unanimously approved at a Kildare county board meeting. Meanwhile former Wexford manager Rory Kinsella has been linked with a return to the job he vacated in 1997. His successor Joachim Kelly stepped down after defeat by Offaly in the recent Leinster championship.
Former player George O'Connor has also been linked with the post after initially refusing to be considered when the vacancy first arose.
