GList: Chasing the biggest prize

Sleacht Néill and Portaferry meet in Sunday’s Ulster hurling final. They are two of the teams still in the All-Ireland race. Michael McMullan takes a look at the contenders.

Ballygunner (Waterford)

THE only team left in the pack who have won the All-Ireland. Who will ever forget Harry Ruddle? His last-gasp winning goal downed Ballyhale in the dying embers of the 2022 decider on a day Jerome Johnson did the same for Kilcoo in the football final.

They’ve 23 Waterford titles to their name and pursue a sixth Munster title when they face Sarsfields this weekend.

The excellence of goalkeeper Stephen O’Keefe helped pull them through against Doon of Limerick before pulling away against Loughmore-Castleiney. They are the fancied horse.

Loughrea (Galway)

THEY put an end to a losing streak in finals to land their third Galway title and you have to go back to 2006 for their last Connacht title with victory over Roscommon’s Athleague before the provincial series ended two years later out west.

It has been the Galway champions who have advanced to the All-Ireland since and, as a county, they’ve been represented in the final on 23 occasions with 14 wins overall.

After winning all their group games, they had two goals to spare against Clarinbridge before Anthony Burns hit 1-3 in the final against Cappataggle.

They await the winners in Leinster.

Sleacht Néill (Derry)

THEY face into Sunday’s date with Portaferry after their mesmerising win over Cushendall in a pulsating semi-final.

Under new manager Paul McCormack, their win in Derry takes them level with Lavey on 18 titles and they have four Ulster titles in the bag during an era when they were also at the cutting edge of football championships.

They’ve lost to Cuala, Na Piarsaigh, Ballygunner and Ballyhale in their All-Ireland semi-finals, a latter a classic game.

Young guns Conor Coyle, Fionn McEldowney and Jack Cassidy have added to their established side.

After the high of their joust with Cushendall, the challenge is to back it up with another crisp performance.

Na Fianna (Dublin)

THEY were edged out by a point in last year’s Leinster final against O’Loughlin Gaels.

Under new Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin, they came back to win a second Dublin title this season before hitting 3-20 against Clough-Ballacolla to set up Sunday’s semi-final with St Martin’s, which they came through.

Colin Currie, AJ Murphy, Ciaran Stacey and goalkeeper Jonathan Tracey have been among their scorers.

Loughrea will be waiting to the wings to run their eye over whatever they offer in the Leinster final.

In the long-term, can they do what Cuala did and become the second ever Dublin club to lift the Moore Cup.

Kilcormac-Killoughy (Offaly)

THEY are one of three clubs left to have actually played in an All-Ireland final, their narrow 2013 defeat coming at the hands of St Thomas’.

After winning their sixth Offaly championship, four points from Adam Screeney helped them to victory over St Mullin’s of Carlow before they had too much for Castletown-Geoghan in the semi-final.

The games are coming thick and fast. They’ve no time to bask in victory with the Leinster final down for decision this weekend.

Their prize for the winners is an All-Ireland semi-final with Loughrea in the knowledge Ballygunner are on the other side of the draw.

Sarsfields (Cork)

THERE is the strange dynamic of divisional side Imokilly beating ‘Sars’ in the Cork final who then were the county’s representatives in the Munster campaign.

Daniel Hogan, Jack O’Connor and Aaron Myers were all on target but it wasn’t enough to help retain their title.

You have to go all the way back to 2004 for the last Cork winner when the O’Connor twins led Newtownshandrum over the line against Dunloy.

Sarfields have never reached a Munster final before but have seven county titles on the roll of honour.

Aaron Myers hit 1-6 to dismantle Feakle but he’ll need those around him to push hard against Ballygunner.

Portaferry (Down)

TEN years ago, Sleacht Néill and Cushendall locked horns in a semi-final that needed extra-time and a replay for the Antrim side to eventually break clear.

Sound familiar? Well, it is. Portaferry were underdogs going into the final but they done a number on the ‘Dall at Owenbeg.

After lifting a 23rd Down title, they’ve been away from the competitive arena but they’ll take confidence from last season when they hurled Cushendall off the pitch before coming up short.

They know they are at the level and in Tom McGrattan they’ve a gem – in a talented side – that would get on most teams.

The men from the Ards will need a big performance to repeat the dose of a decade ago.