The odds are heavily loaded against Micheál Breathnach

MICHEÁL Breathnach set out to do what no Galway junior hurling club has done before and reach a first ever All-Ireland decider when they travel to Kilmallock on Sunday to take on Cork and Munster champions Russell Rovers (throw-in 1.30pm).

Since its inception in 2002-03, 10 times the Galway county champions have qualified for the All-Ireland series following provincial success but each time they have come up short in a competition which has been dominated by clubs from Kilkenny (eight titles) and Cork (five titles).

Russell Rovers are raging hot favourites to edge one step closer to continuing that trend against Mícheál Breathnach on Sunday, though given their Connacht final heroics against Naomh Eoin back in November, the Galway title holders are sure to have their eyes firmly set on springing a surprise and creating a bit of history in the process.

That Connacht final triumph against the Sligo senior county champions was a breakthrough moment for this Mícheál Breathnach side who lost out to Calry/St Joseph’s in their last and only other Connacht final appearance back in 2016 – a game which they let slip.

There was no danger of that happening last day out, however, with Cárthach Breathnach’s side dominating throughout, inspired by Brian Ó Conghaile’s 1-4 haul from play, to eventually run out comfortable 1-12 to 0-8 winners.

That success was celebrated at the time and quite rightly, but has since been parked, with the focus shifting to Sunday’s game and testing themselves against one of the best junior sides in the country.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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