Rivals collide

Many hurling fans had hoped for this match-up between Lixnaw and Causeway in this year’s Garvey’s Senior County Hurling Final on Sunday in Austin Stack Park (throw-in 3.15pm).

These two teams have, at times, looked a cut above the rest in the championship although both made heavy weather of their semi-finals.

Lixnaw are going for their 10th title. They are the current champions, having beaten Kilmoyley in dramatic fashion last year when their keeper Martin Stackpoole saved a penalty in injury time.

But they have never won back-to-back titles in their long history.

Causeway have won 7 titles, the last one being in 1998 - some 21 years ago.

They lost to Lixnaw in the earlier rounds but there were mitigating circumstances not least the loss of their outstanding midfielder and free-taker Brandon Barrett.

Dublin’s decade of dominance

When it comes to Gaelic Football records, Kerry hold most of them. We have won the most All-Ireland senior titles which now stands at 37 titles. We have also won the most All-Ireland minor titles which currently stands at 16 titles and the most junior titles, a total of 20.

Cork have won 12 U20/ 21 titles and Kerry have won 10 so this is the only category that we are trailing in. But overall, Kerry have won 83 All-Ireland titles across the four inter-county grades and yet Dublin are set to smash a couple of records on Sunday week.

The debate will always rage as to who is the best team of all time. Those of us who grew up watching the great Mick O’Dwyer trained Kerry side of the 1970s and 80s would take a lot of persuading that we have ever seen better. But of course these types of debate are very much subjective.