By:
Conor Martin
Wexford’s St Martin’s will hope to take another step towards immortality when they take on Kildare’s Naas in the AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final this Sunday.
St Martin’s are the dominant force in Wexford hurling at the moment, and this year secured a second title in a row and their sixth Wexford title in the process.
The men in maroon went out at this stage last year to the subsequent Leinster and All-Ireland champions, Na Fianna from Dublin.
They met the Dubliners in the quarter-finals of the provincial championship this year and exacted their revenge, winning by just a point.
That was a statement win that sent shockwaves across the four provincial club championships. Na Fianna had just won the Dublin hurling crown for a third year in a row and looked set to dominate Leinster and the All-Ireland series for the second year in a row.
St Martin’s brought the prospect of a hat-trick of championship titles for the second year in a row to a shuddering halt, but they can’t just sit around and give themselves a pat on the back for dethroning the champions.
They now must push on and go for provincial glory.
St Martin’s can continue to light up the Leinster championship
The Wexford champions have never won a Leinster or All-Ireland club hurling championship. They’re now only two wins from being top dogs in Leinster and a further two wins from being All-Ireland champions.
Cousins Rory and Barry O’Connor led their club’s charge against Na Fianna, with Rory top scoring for his side. Their attacking prowess is supported by the likes of Jake Firman and Darren Codd, who have shown they can rack up points too.
Belief will be crucial; just like they had in their quarter-final St Martin’s will play at Wexford Park, the home county ground of GAA in the county.
No side from Wexford has made the Leinster final since 2015, when Oulart-The Ballagh won the provincial title. A 10-year wait is ready to be waited, and if that wasn’t enough inspiration for St Martin’s to drive on, then the thought of going further than their Wexford neighbours and becoming All-Ireland champions for the first time surely will be.
Which clubs are standing in the way of the Wexford champions?
As mentioned, Naas are the next hurdle St Martin’s must jump, but they’ll have to battle hard in order to do so.
They’ve won the Kildare senior title 12 times and have won every senior hurling title since 2019. Just like their Wexford counterparts, they too have never won a provincial or All-Ireland senior title.
Should St Martin’s reach the Leinster final, then they will play either Clough–Ballacolla, who have been crowned Laois champions 13 times and are yet another club looking for a maiden Leinster and All-Ireland title, or Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks.
Shamrocks will be the ultimate test, not just for Clough–Ballacolla, who they play in Sunday’s other semi-final, but for St Martin’s or Naas, should the Kilkenny champions make the final.
They’ve been crowned county champions 21 times, provincial champions 12 times and have won the All-Ireland senior hurling title on nine occasions.
Winning a county title is one thing; winning a provincial title is another. St Martin’s have destiny in their own hands, but they must be brave enough now to take a few extra steps to glory.
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