Can Longford Slashers beat Wolfe Tones to break hurling final bogey?

Buoyed by a brace of underage titles at inter-county level this season, hurling is on the rise in Longford and the stage is now set for the highlight of the year in the club competitions.

The title holders Wolfe Tones Mostrim take on Longford Slashers in the senior championship final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday next (throw-in 4pm) in a repeat of last year’s Duignan Cup decider.

The Slashers hurlers are contesting the county final for the 7th year in succession but during that time the sky-blues have only managed to win a single title.

That triumph materialised in 2021 (ending a long 20 year wait) but after losing the last three finals the sky-blues will be hoping to halt the barren spell. 

The defeat in last year's final was particularly hard to take with a couple of costly goals in the first half leading to their eventual downfall against the Cathal Mullane inspired Wolfe Tones. 

Mullane fired over the impressive total of 11 points (10 frees) as the Edgeworthstown outfit held out for a narrow win (2-15 to 3-10) but the ace sharpshooter has not featured in this year’s championship due to a long term injury. 

Wolfe Tones are obviously not as strong without the Limerick native and his unexpected return is a major loss for his adopted club!

But there are plenty of other established players lining-out with the men in green and red.  John Mulhern, Adam Quinn, James Connell, Evan Tully and the Courtney brothers Ronan and Killian Courtney are all capable of making a big impact, not forgetting the vast experience of Martin Coyle.

Pearse McNally, Ciaran McNally, Jack Belton, John Gaffney, Dylan Hutchinson, Micheal Savage and Maitiu O’Donohoe will also be determined to make their presence felt in the final and the inspirational Wolfe Tones manager Bernie Connell will have his team in a confident frame of mind.

When the finalists clashed in the group stage, Slashers scored a commanding 4-17 to 1-9 victory but it should be a lot closer in the match that really matters as Wolfe Tones bounced back with an equally emphatic 5-16 to 1-10 success against Clonguish Gaels.  

Former hurling great Robbie Stakelum is the new Slashers supremo with Niall Ward also a vital part of the management team who are working hard with a neat blend of youth and experience.

Providing he is fully recovered from his injury problems, Karl Murray can play a leading role in the final along with his brother Reuben who is a potential matchwinner such is his accurate shooting from frees and play while livewire attacker Micheal Mulcahy is also a dangerman. 

Johnny Casey Kealan Cox and Tipperary native David Buckley are other key figures on the Slashers team, along with fellow Killashee duo Daire and Coilin Regan, while providing the bulk of the promising youth factor are Sean Tiernan, Harry Mulvihill and the Caslin brothers Diarmuid and Darragh.

 Surely the time has come for Slashers to lift the JJ Duignan Cup in order to make amends for the bitter disappointment of the previous setbacks?

After also cruising to a very easy win over Clonguish Gaels in the group stage, the general opinion is that the sky-blues can get the better of Wolfe Tones in the county title decider. 

PREDICTION: Longford Slashers