Date with destiny

Portumna may be seeking their fourth All-Ireland club senior hurling title when they face Mount Leinster Rangers of Carlow in Croke Park next Monday (2pm), but manager Frank Canning insists this final is as big as any for the club.

or the players, their families and the people of Portumna, St Patrick’s Day has, more often than not, become a celebration of their hurling club over the last decade. On Monday, they will be contesting their fifth All-Ireland decider since winning their first in 2006.

What is astounding is that 11 of those players who claimed the honours with a 2-8 to 1-6 win over Newtownshandrum of Cork in ’06 lined out in the county senior final victory over old rivals Loughrea last October – Eugene McEntee, Micheál Ryan, Gareth Heagney and Eoin Lynch in defence; Leo Smith and Joe Canning in midfield; and Kevin Hayes, Damien Hayes, Ollie Canning, Andy Smith and Niall Hayes in attack.

Of course, there has been a great deal of positional switches within the side in the interim, no more so under the present management – Frank Canning, Michael Monaghan, Ciaran Ryan, John Madden and trainer Noel Larkin – which has proven to be very shrewd in the decision making process.

The moves of Eoin Lynch from midfield to defence; Joe Canning from full-forward to midfield; and Ollie Canning from defence to attack have all paid rich dividends so far and may do so again next Monday.

However, don’t be surprised if more changes are afoot for the Mount Leinster Rangers showdown. One of those could see Joe Canning move back up into full-forward and that seems to be the main topic of debate ahead of this fixture. Where will the Portumna magician play? The management is likely to hold the cards close to the chest on that one.

In any event, manager Frank Canning notes the important thing is his players do themselves justice and perform in their bid for a fourth All-Ireland title – a feat which would see them equal Birr’s achievement (1995, ‘98, 2002 and ‘03) and leave them one behind roll of honour leaders Ballyhale Shamrocks (5).

That said, he is not underestimating the challenge presented by the Leinster champions, who have contested the last nine senior finals in their own county, won the All-Ireland intermediate club crown in 2012 and have claimed the Kilkenny All-County League on four occasions. They are a quality side.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune