Determined O’Loughlins have eyes on the big prize

It’s the biggest day of the GAA club season on Sunday afternoon as the senior football and hurling finals take centre stage at Croke Park.

For the fifth year on the trot there will be Kilkenny representation in the hurling final as O’Loughlin Gaels meet St Thomas of Galway.

O’Loughlins ended the Shamrocks’ dominance at local level when beating them in last October’s county final. Now the city side have the chance to replicate the Ballyhale outfit as they look to keep the Tommy Moore Cup inside Kilkenny when aiming to win a first ever All-Ireland crown.

In opposition are a St Thomas side that have already won an All-Ireland title over a decade ago but they have failed to add to that tally since and that’s despite dominating within their Galway boundary through that period.

St Thomas did, however, account for 2021 champions Ballygunner in the semi-finals so O’Loughlins will need to be at their very best for a game that throws in at 1.30pm and is live on TG4.

Team captain Mark Bergin is the leader of the pack but he has huge belief in all of the squad.

“When you look at our backs everyone knows about Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler and Paddy Deegan and they are real leaders but then we also have Jordan Molloy and David Fogarty and I think David is the youngest on the team.

“David (Fogarty) is just really enjoying his hurling and he’s a super lad on and off the pitch. He has been one of the lads driving up the standards in training and we also have Cian Loy and Jack Nolan in midfield who are having a super year.

“In the forwards then we have Conor Heary, Owen Wall and Sean Bolger who are excellent players and Conor Kelly is a big impact player off the bench. We will need all of them near their best as this is a game that is going to go down to the wire.”

O’Loughlins will be aiming to continue Kilkenny’s remarkable run in this year’s club championship while also following in the footsteps of Shamrocks, James Stephens, Glenmore and St Martin’s who have previously won senior hurling crowns.

“We will do our best to treat it like any other final but the reality is that it’s the biggest game in the club calendar and it’s the day that every club hurler wants to be part of,” Bergin added.

“These opportunities are very rare and it’s been an exceptional year for Kilkenny clubs with Tullogher-Rosbercon, Thomastown and Dicksboro all winning All-Ireland titles. We’d love to get a piece of that.

“Any time you represent Kilkenny, there is a bit of added pressure and that is good as you are representing one of the most successful counties in the country so in terms of doing anything differently for the game, no we won’t - we will do everything the same as we’ve done all year as that’s worked for us.

“It’s great to be there, it’s great to be part of an All-Ireland club final and please god we can get a performance.”