It’s hard to believe it, when you consider that the last of the inter-county finals only threw-in at the weekend, but in varying corners of the country county finals are already upon us.
Wexford, Carlow and Kerry didn’t hang around and so, before the majority of counties have reached the quarter final stages, it’s county final time over there. As a boost to the GAA population all over, TG4 are on the ball in Wexford and in Carlow to make for a super Sunday in the sunny-south-east, with both hurling finals to be shown live one after another.
The Super Sunday starts with the clash of St Anne’s Rathangan and the Rapparees in Chadwicks Wexford Park. Only a time-traveller would have called this pairing at the start of the campaign but then again, with 13 evenly matched teams contesting the senior grade in Wexford, it’s been one of those seasons. An Oulart-the-Ballagh-St Martin’s final would have seemed likelier at the beginning of the journey but as it turned out, this was the relegation final, and one that, after a 13 point loss, saw Oulart lose their senior status for the first time in 36 years.
But St Anne’s and the Rapps have been the best of the bunch this time around and that’s why they’re the last teams standing. Anne’s, in particular, put in a stunning display to beat reigning champions Shelmaliers in their semi-final last weekend, hurling for 50 minutes with 14 men. Liam Óg McGovern and Diarmuid O’Keeffe are the main men for the Rathangan side, who will be gunning to make up for final hurdle falls in 2014 and 2018.
Wexford GAA TV caught up with @Dee_OKeeffe after the @StAnnes_GAA semi final win last Sunday pic.twitter.com/CpOVitaVYP
— Wexford GAA (@OfficialWexGAA) September 14, 2021
The Rapps, meanwhile, defeated a fancied Glynn-Barntown side in the semi-final, a late Kevin Foley penalty sealing the deal for the Enniscorthy men. Foley himself and the brilliant Liam Ryan will be their main men in a final that will be worth watching.
Elsewhere in Carlow, it’s a meeting of the two teams who, between them, have won every single Carlow SHC since 2009. Mount Leinster Rangers have won seven in that time-frame to St Mullin’s five and with the county’s two marquee forwards – in Chris Nolan and Marty Kavanagh – facing off, expect sparks to fly and sliotars to sing here too.
The Kerry final won’t be live on television but sure as night and day, Buff Egan will be there. To date this season, his coverage of club championships from Galway to Wexford to Waterford to Kilkenny has been top class and when Kilmoyley take on St Brendan’s in his home county’s decider, you can expect the man-himself to be ringside.
Weekend fixtures
Sunday
Rapparees v St Anne’s Rathangan, Wexford senior hurling final, 2.00, live on TG4
St Mullin’s v Mt Leinster Rangers, Carlow senior hurling final, 3.45, live on TG4
Kilmoyley v St Brendan’s, Kerry senior hurling final, 3.00
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