Senior hurling the big prize as south Limerick rivals do battle

David Breen, Dromin-Athlacca, in action during the semi-final win over Murroe-Boher | BRENDAN GLEESON

placeholder image — David Breen, Dromin-Athlacca, in action during the semi-final win over Murroe-Boher | BRENDAN GLEESON

Both clubs are looking to join Garryspillane and Monaleen as multiple winners of the Michael Fox Memorial Cup

WHILE the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship has typically been packed with south Limerick clubs, only on six of the 12 previous iterations of the competition has the winner come from the division.

The tally will see the south go ahead of the rest of the county on Sunday as neighbours Bruff and Dromin-Athlacca face off at the TUS Gaelic Grounds (1.30pm).

Both clubs are looking to join Garryspillane and Monaleen as multiple winners of the Michael Fox Memorial Cup.

Bruff won the championship in its debut season in 2014 where current manager Paddy O’Leary won a medal on the field of play.

Among their goal-scorers that day was a county minor called Sean Finn. A dozen years and half a dozen All-Ireland SHC medals later, Finn will be looking to guide his side back to senior hurling.

His former inter-county team-mate Paul Browne and goalkeeper Eric Finn are the other two players set to start a second final at this level.

For Dromin-Athlacca, who are looking for an immediate return to the senior ranks, their last final was the dramatic win over Blackrock in 2023.

David Breen, the hero with the late, late winner that day, struck five from play in his side’s semi-final win over a fancied Murroe-Boher side.

Breen, as well as Limerick star David Reidy - who himself scored 0-11 in the semi-final - are among those chasing a second medal in the blue corner.

William Dore, Shane Scully, Shane Fitzgibbon and Michael Reidy are also set to start a second decider with young guns Cian Scully and Tadhg Boddy the emerging players on the team in recent seasons.

The teams had different journeys to this final.

Dromin-Athlacca got off to a fast start, winning their first three games before a mid-season slump.

For Bruff - who were without a win in their first three games of the championship - a win over Sunday’s opponents kick-started their title charge.

Since then, they have been the form team in the county. But they have one more step to go to reach senior hurling for the first time since 2017.