Fintan O'Toole
IT was another trademark Fitzgibbon Cup victory for Limerick IT at Moylish Park on Wednesday. Joe Canning pointed the way on the pitch, Davy Fitzgerald pointing the way on the sideline and LIT rolling on towards the last eight. Ever since Fitzgerald began his third-level hurling revolution in the shadow of Munster rugby’s hulking edifice, LIT have become perennial challengers in this grade. That trend should continue in 2010 with Canning compiling 147 scoring breaks everytime he takes to the field, but the reasons to acclaim LIT are not just confined to Portumna’s finest.

Take half-back Nicky O’Connell. Our first sighting of the Clonlara defender can be traced back to the Clare county final on the last Sunday of October 2008. On one of those hazy autumnal Sundays when the sod is heavy and the hurling is slow, the emerging club on the fringes of Limerick city took on the Banner club aristocrats Newmarket-on-Fergus. For Clonlara, intermediate champions the year previous, appearing in the senior decider was a fairytale in its own right but they showed indomitable spirit to go on and win 1-12 to 1-9. O’Connell was terrific in the Clonlara half-back line, belying his youth and inexperience to emerge from scrums of possession and execute sweeping clearances all day long.

That was the standards he set and he continues to meet them. Clare’s All-Ireland U21 triumph provided striking images for the 2009 hurling photo album and O’Connell was at the heart of them. Darach Honan and John Conlon may have hogged the headlines, Cormac and Domhnall O’Donovan may have illustrated that the gifted hurling twins tag is not just confined to the O’Connor’s, but O’Connell was the pivotal Clonlara link all season long.

O’Connell’s not flash or glamorous. He imposes himself on matches in an understated but highly effective way. His positioning is superb, he has the athleticism required to stay with half-forward speedsters and every delivery to his fellow attackers is sent with thought behind it. A prowess from long-range frees is another weapon in the armoury. The three placed balls from distance that O’Connell rifled over during last July’s Munster U21 final in Dungarvan were redolent of another Clare defender of yore who was handy from frees.

He’s capable of playing centre-back or midfield, but looks most at home with the number five stitched on his back. Having done his stuff on the club and underage stages, the last two weeks have seen O’Connell step up comfortably up to the next level in the Fitzgibbon. In the rain in the Mardyke and the sunshine in Moylish, O’Connell has been typically consistent in his play at right half-back. He’ll be in Ger O’Loughlin’s plans this year, perhaps not as a Clare senior starter, but certainly as someone in his first 20 and someone who should figure heavily in the next few years so long as he stays hale and hearty.

For now the focus is on the Fitzgibbon and it’s the emergence of a player like O’Connell that makes the outlook so bright for LIT. After all someone has to be the support act for The Joe Show.