FOR THE MEN of Loughgiel Shamrocks and Coolderry, today’s All-Ireland senior club hurling final is big as they come.

The only Ulster club to ever take home the big one, Antrim champions Loughgiel will be hoping to replicate the success of 1983 when their predecessors saw off another challenger from Offaly, St Rynagh’s.

Coolderry have already made history just by making it this far. A first Offaly title and a first Leinster title are in the bag; can they add a first All-Ireland title to what has already been a remarkable haul?

Here’s how both sides made it to this afternoon’s final (throw-in 2pm).

Loughgiel Shamrocks

Ulster semi-final: Loughgiel 2-18 Kevin Lynch’s (Derry) 1-5

Ulster’s reigning champions never really needed to get out of second gear to beat a tired Kevin Lynch’s and book their place in the decider for a second successive season.

Lynch’s kept in touch for most of the first half and only trailed by two at the break before Loughgiel really started to click, scoring 2-10 in the second half including goals from Bennie McCarry and wing-forward Liam Watson.

Top scorer: Liam Watson, 1-7 (1-6f)

Ulster final: Loughgiel 2-18 Ballycran (Down) 0-8

Another blistering second-half performance was the difference between Loughgiel and Ballycran of Down, as the Antrim men retained their Ulster title by a 16-point margin after a tight first half.

With regular free-taker Liam Watson on the bench, Daniel McCloskey deputised for Shamrocks and contributed three points, but it was goals from Eddie McCloskey and Bennie McCarry that proved to be the icing on the cake of a comfortable win.

Top scorer: Eddie McCloskey, 1-2 (0-1f)

All-Ireland semi-final (aet): Loughgiel Shamrocks 0-27 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 2-13

Liam Watson grabbed the headlines as his individual total of 16 points saw Loughgiel through to the All-Ireland final after extra time in an enthralling semi-final against Na Piarsaigh of Limerick.

The Ulster champions were on their way out of the competition until substitute Robert Sheehan came off the bench to scramble home a stoppage-time goal, only to see Limerick’s inter-county star Kevin Downes point at the other end to salvage a deserved draw for Na Piarsaigh and force extra time.

But it was Loughgiel’s superior fitness and hunger which ultimately showed as they outscored the Treaty men 0-9 to 0-1 in the extra period to book their St Patrick’s Day date in Croke Park.

Top scorer: Liam Watson, 0-16 (9f, 1 65′)

Coolderry

Leinster semi-final: Coolderry 1-18 Ballyboden-St.Enda’s (Dublin) 0-15

Coolderry full-forward Cathal Parlon played a starring role as the Offaly champions booked their first return to the provincial decider since 1980 with a six-point win over Ballyboden St Enda’s of Dublin.

A Barry Teehan goal helped Coolderry open up a decisive five-point lead at the break, Ken Hogan’s men keeping the Dubliners at arm’s length thanks to a combined 0-14 from Parlon and corner-forward Damien Murray.

Top scorer: Damien Murray, 0-8 (all frees)

Leinster final: Coolderry 1-15 Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 1-11

Oulart-The-Ballagh fell short in the Leinster final for the second successive year as Coolderry stunned the Wexford men to claim the club’s first ever provincial title.

Despite Oulart’s strong start and dominance for large periods, they could never match Coolderry in the finishing stakes and found it impossible to wrest back the lead after going 0-5 to 0-3 down midway through the first half.

Parlon struck a killer blow with a goal early on in the second half and, with Murray on song from the dead balls again, Coolderry were able to remain in control and clinch a deserved victory.

Top scorer: Cathal Parlon, 1-3; Damien Murray, 0-6 (4f)

All-Ireland semi-final: Coolderry 3-16 Gort (Galway) 0-17

Coolderry’s keen eye for goal proved to be their saving grace as they put three past Connacht champions Gort in the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Eoin Ryan set the Leinster champions on the road to Croker with a goal on 22 minutes, giving Coolderry a four-point lead at the break. Within five minutes of the restart, they stretched that lead to eight when Cathal Parlon rounded off a fine team move with his side’s second.

To their credit, Gort continued to take their points and had halved Coolderry’s advantage before Damien Murray struck in the closing minutes to finally kill off their challenge.

Top scorer: Damien Murray, 1-8 (5f)