GOOD NEWS for Portumna, bad news for every other hurling club in the country: Johnny Kelly is to stay on as manager as the Galway champions seek to become the first club to win three All-Ireland hurling titles in succession.
Kelly took charge of Portumna at the start of the season, having been part of the backroom team that helped regain the title last year, under then manager Jimmy Heverin. After three years in charge, during which time he only lost one game, Heverin stepped aside to allow a new voice take over and that partly explains the enduring freshness of Portumna.
It was agreed Kelly would take the team for at least two years and he’s eager to see that through. Tuesday’s 19-point victory over De La Salle not only earned Portumna their third All-Ireland club hurling title in four years, but also leaves them joint second on the all-time honours list, along with Blackrock, James Stephens and Athenry.
Only Birr and Ballyhale Shamrocks have won more – with four titles each – but Portumna are in a position to match that and win a first ever three-in-a-row. For now, however, Kelly is not getting hung up on such aspirations. “Well we’ve three All-Irelands now,” he said. “And there would be a lot of clubs in the country delighted with that. Titles are great, but respect is what’s it is all about.”
One bookmaker has already made Portumna as short as 4 to 6 favourites to win next year’s title, partly based on the fact that they are due to meet the Ulster champions in next year’s semi-finals.
They have age on their side: only three of the starting 15 on Tuesday are the wrong side of 30 – defenders Eugene McEntee (30) and Ollie Canning (31), and forward Niall Hayes (31). The rest average early 20s, with Joe Canning still only 20, and corner back Martin Dolphin still only 18.
Just like Kilmacud Crokes, nothing would add to Portumna’s success like an All-Ireland for the county. Galway have seen nine club teams achieve ultimate success since the county last captured the All-Ireland, in 1988, although there is one positive omen: when Castlegar won the club title in 1980 the county went on to do likewise in the championship.
Kelly has called for the county side to build the sort of spirit evident in his club. “Hopefully some of this spirit can come back to Galway hurling now,” he said. “We have it at club level, teams like Athenry, Sarsfields, Castlegar, and others have great club spirit. We have in Portumna now. If we could just get that at county level I know we could drive on. Because we do have quality hurlers in Galway.”
Galway, meanwhile, continue their league campaign this Sunday with the visit of Limerick to Pearse Stadium – and the quest to secure only a second win of their campaign. Manager John McIntyre hopes to have the Portumna contingent back before the end of the league, particularly as his injury problems mount up.
Full back Ciarán O’Donovan is the latest casualty after injuring his knee while playing for Connacht in last Saturday’s interprovincial final defeat to Leinster in Abu Dhabi. Galway’s defence is already without the suspended Damian McClearn, while last year’s centre back John Lee is concentrating on his medical studies.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is experiencing a more extreme injury crisis ahead of Tipperary’s visit to Nowlan Park. Half forward PJ Delaney is set to sideline him for up to six weeks with an ankle injury. Already ruled out are James “Cha” Fitzpatrick, Eoin Reid and Donncha Cody, while Derek Lyng and Noel Hickey as long-term absentees. JJ Delaney (thigh muscle), John Dalton (flu) and Eoin Larkin (groin) are doubtful, but Henry Shefflin is set to make his first appearance for Kilkenny in this year’s league.
Given the heavy defeat suffered by De La Salle in Tuesday’s club final, Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald has decided not to invite John Mullane, Kevin Moran and Brian Phelan back onto his panel for at least another fortnight.
