Cuala's back-to-back Leinster wins a very special achievement
A quick scan through the Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship roll of honour really helps to underline the achievement made by Cuala at O'Moore Park yesterday.
The hurling men from Dalkey took apart the Offaly champions Kilcormac-Killoughey with surgical precision, on a scoreline of 1-23 to 1-9, to seal back-to-back provincial titles.
Rightly, Con O’Callaghan has been lauded after a superb year with club and county, playing with the small ball and the big but he would be the first to deflect that praise onto his team-mates in red and white.
From goalkeeper Sean Brennan and his crucial penalty save to Sean Moran who cleaned out every high ball that came at him to the fantastic midfield partnership of Jake Malone and Darragh O’Connell.
They all performed behind a lethal forward line including David Treacy who fired frees from every part of the field with the coolness and accuracy of a marine corps scout sniper.
And no doubt, every member of the panel, led by their great bainisteoir Mattie Kenny, has played their part in this season campaign to take them to within two wins of two consecutive All-Ireland club titles.
When you look at the flags indicating the county colours of the winning team pre-2016, the only blue and navy you will spot among the colours of Kilkenny, Wexford and Offaly is beside the 1979/80 Leinster champions.
Crumlin actually claimed the crown in March 1980 by defeating Laois winners Camross in Athy, and just like Cuala it followed a year in which they were beaten in the decider.
In 46 years, there was just one winner from the capital and it wasn’t for the want of trying.
After Crumlin’s two final appearances there would be another seven deciders lost by a team from Dublin; Cuala themselves in 1989/90 & 2015/16, O’Tooles in 1996/97, UCD in 2000/01, 2004/05 & 2005/06 and Ballyboden St Endas in 2007/08.
Whatever happens in the semi-final next February against Liam Mellows, who made their own bit of history by bridging a 47-year gap to win the Galway championship, Cuala’s success yesterday was a very special achievement that should be savoured.
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