Joe Canning (Portumna)
He burst onto the All-Ireland club scene as a teenage sensation but eight years after Portumna’s first national win, Joe Canning’s impact has not been diluted. His role is a little different now as evidenced by his journeys out the field but Canning has continued to dictate matters.
He was excellent in their Galway county final win over Loughrea and the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Na Piarsaigh. The latter game saw Canning deliver a freetaking masterclass as well as he banged over seven dead balls as part of an overall 0-9 return.
Denis Murphy (Mount Leinster Rangers)
Canning’s freetaking capabilities are well-known but in the opposition corner lies another deadly marksman. Denis Murphy struck 1-8 last October when Mount Leinster Rangers completed three-in-a-row in Carlow and fired 0-8 – including six frees – in that memorable provincial final success against Mount Leinster Rangers.
There was no let up last month against Loughgiel Shamrocks when he bagged 0-11, four play and seven from frees. Murphy is a richly talented forward who needs to be contained by the Portumna rearguard.
Damien Hayes (Portumna)
A veteran of the Portumna squad at this stage, the hard-working and combative Hayes remains an integral part of their setup. Has played in a variety of different roles and caught the eye in the Galway county final win when he shot 1-1, including the vital third goal. His tireless running, scoring capabilities and big game know-how will be important on Monday.
Richard Coady (Mount Leinster Rangers)
The Leinster hurler of the year award in 2013 was claimed by Coady and reflected his impressive displays against Castletown Geoghegan, Ballyboden St-Enda’s and Oulart-The-Ballagh.
Was particularly impressive in the latter game with his centre-back play exceptional as he read the game brilliantly and helped Mount Leinster repel the advances of Oulart-The-Ballagh. The Carlow champions can do with him gaining a foothold again on Monday.
Ronan O’Meara (Portumna)
One of the newcomers to the Portumna side, O’Meara has helped them reinvent themselves by pinning down a spot in their starting fifteen. He was part of the Galway minor team that lost last year’s All-Ireland final to Waterford but little fault lay with O’Meara as he struck 0-4 from play.
He’s impressed at corner-forward for his club side, making his mark against Na Piarsaigh last month when he rifled home 1-2 in the early stages. The presence of a fresh attacking threat close to goal in O’Meara has allowed Portumna to release Joe Canning out the field.
Edward Coady (Mount Leinster Rangers)
Another vital cog in the Mount Leinster Rangers defensive effort. Wing-back alongside his brother Richard, the Carlow senior brings vast experience to the Mount Leinster setup. His displays have helped them produce the necessary resilience to win their games to date. Those qualities will be required again on Sunday.
