After beating Kilmacud Crokes, the reigning All-Ireland club football champions at the semi-final stage two weeks back, Derry and Ulster champions Glen will probably start as favorites against St Brigid’s from Roscommon in the All-Ireland club final at Croke Park on Sunday next. Glen went close last year, losing by a point to Crokes, but St Brigid’s were successful in their only previous appearance in a final, beating Ballymun Kickhams in the 2013 final to become the first and so far only Roscommon club to win the Andy Merrigan Cup. St Brigid’s defender Ronan Stack was only 22 in 2013, now he is the veteran of what is a fairly young squad of players.
The club championship began in 1971 when Kerry divisional side East Kerry won, and so it was not until 1972 that a single club won the final and that was Bellaghy from Derry, who beat UCC in the final. Derry had another winner in 2002 when Ballinderry Shamrocks won and now it looks very much like Glen will make it three for the Oak Leaf county.
Also on Sunday, we will have the All-Ireland club hurling final between St Thomas’ of Galway and Kilkenny’s O’Loughlin Gaels, which will serve as the curtain raiser. It’s difficult to stay on top at club level, but Kilkenny have done it in recent years with Ballyhale Shamrock winning three of the last four finals, but this season Ballyhale were beaten in the Kilkenny county final by the Gaels. Now O’Loughlin’s will be bidding to become the sixth Kilkenny club to win a final. Meanwhile St Thomas’ won the final in 2013 when they beat Offaly’s Kilcormac Killoughey. January is not a great time for hurling, but as the GAA try to finish the club championship in the same calendar year, I cannot see us reverting to finals on St Patrick’s Day.
