Preview- Shamrocks and Dicksboro set for delayed Under 21 Hurling Final

The month of March is fast approaching but before spring really kicks into gear the Kilkenny club season for 2021 will finally come to an end when the delayed JJ Kavanagh and Sons Under 21 A Hurling Final between Shamrocks of Ballyhale and Dicksboro takes place in John Locke Park, Callan on Saturday (2pm).

As a result of Shamrocks’ and Mooncoin’s extended runs in the All-Ireland club championship, as well as having players from both clubs involved with St Kieran’s College and Kilkenny CBS, there have been a whole host of distractions that have held the final up but the competition will finally come to a conclusion this weekend.

The under-21 grade rarely disappoints and despite a number of games being played in terrible weather conditions, the knockout competition has again served up a number of cracking games.

It all started back in November when the finalists both had two point victories over O’Loughlin Gaels and Bennettsbridge in the quarter-finals.

Shamrocks then faced Thomastown in the semi-finals at the turn of the year. Although Thomastown looked the more likely winners for long periods, a last minute Darragh Corcoran goal sealed a place in the final for Shamrocks as they emerged 1-15 to 2-10 winners.

Dicksboro, on the other hand, travelled to Mooncoin to face old adversaries Mooncoin in a repeat of both the 2018 and 2019 Minor Hurling Championship finals which Mooncoin won in 2018 and Dicksboro a year later.

It was another tightly fought game and it was the city side who emerged victorious as they ran out 1-15 to 1-14 winners.

Sean Moore knocked over a stoppage time winner for the ’Boro while Aran Murphy also netted a crucial goal.

It all adds up to a fascinating final pairing and despite the time of the year, it should be a cracking contest on paper.

Shamrocks have all the star power with Kilkenny senior players Eoin Cody and Darragh Corcoran involved while recent Fitzgibbon Cup winner Dean Mason will man the goals.

The trio will be crucial if Shamrocks are to add to their most recent success at the grade in 2018.

Mason, Cody and Corcoran were mainstays on the senior side that narrowly missed out on All-Ireland club glory a couple of weeks ago but apart from them it’s a relatively inexperienced team with only a couple of players remaining from the 2019 final defeat to O’Loughlin Gaels.

That Shamrocks defeat brought an end to the clubs three in a row hopes and their opponents this weekend are chasing a unique treble of their own.

Having already claimed under-17 and under-19 championship success when beating Tullogher-Rosbercon and Thomastown respectively, Dicksboro are chasing a clean sweep of underage crowns in Kilkenny for the 2021 season.

Harry Shine will be hoping to add to his growing medal collection on Saturday

For Harry Shine in particular it has been a whirlwind couple of months. Not only is he preparing for an All-Ireland colleges semi-final with St Kieran’s on Saturday week but he is also on the back of winning two Leinster minor titles with Kilkenny including captaining the 2021 side which beat Wexford last July.

As if the county success wasn’t enough for the talented youngster he then added league and championship titles for the Dicksboro minor team before the under-19 victory so a win on Saturday really would cap a wonderful period for the ace free taker.

Led by manager Michael Walsh it really is a golden crop of ’Boro players. With the likes of Niall Rowe, Eoghan Moylan and Timmy Clifford to the fore, they may just have the edge going into the game