Ruarc Sweeney in action for O'Loughlin Gaels against Dicksboro. Pic: Clubber TV
There was excitement on Community Radio Kilkenny last Monday evening.
The World of Gaelic Games analysts were digesting an extraordinary weekend of club hurling where 27 goals were scored across the six senior hurling league games, the competition which determines the starting point for the 12 clubs in the championship.
A total of 23 had been posted in the opening round over the bank holiday weekend. Combined, the 50 goals far exceeded the 37 that was posted over the first two rounds last year.
Of the 50, O’Loughlin Gaels have scored 10 of them and their starlet Ruarc Sweeney seven. Following a hat-trick on his senior championship debut against Dicksboro last Thursday week, he struck four against Ballyhale Shamrocks last Sunday when Niall Shortall, a Kilkenny U20 two years ago, went one better than him with five.
Sweeney was part of Henry Shefflin’s U20 squad this past season. He was taken off early in the group game against Galway before posting 1-4, 1-1 from play, against Offaly in the quarter-final. He found the net again in the Leinster final defeat to Galway, coming off the bench as he did in the semi-final win over Dublin.
“Young Ruarc Sweeney didn’t really nail down a place in the U20s’ team this year but he’s come and got seven goals in two matches,” said former GAA president Nickey Brennan on CRK.
“Niall Shortall got five goals. It’s good to see this happening. Maybe there is something going to come out of all this.
“These are guys who weren’t regulars on any Kilkenny squad last year, so who knows what it’s going to throw up. I accept Ruarc Sweeney is still young but it’s good to see. It’s asking questions. It’s great for the players and if they build on that, apart from the clubs being the winner hopefully Kilkenny can be in the longer term.”
It’s not just the feats of Sweeney and Shortall that generated encouragement. Dylan Simpson, son of Liam, has scored 4-8 for Tullaroan in their wins over Danesfort and Dicksboro. Danesfort’s Ben Whitty is another of the hat-trick club, his three coming against Erin’s Own.
Sure, it’s forwards’ weather and the ball is hopping like never before but after arguably the county’s most sobering season in 30 years, scoring power is something Kilkenny yearns.
Last February, Liam Sheedy wasn’t predicting The Cats would fail to get out of the Leinster SHC round-robin for the first time but he did call out their dearth of high-quality forwards.
“They are as honest as ever, Kilkenny bring a great attitude to the pitch every time,” he said on RTÉ’s League Sunday. “But to me they are lacking up front.
“I think they are going to have to go back and ask a 38-year-old (TJ Reid) to come back in. He will nail 90% of those frees and loves to get his hands on the ball from time to time. They really could do with one or two forwards coming through but I just don't see them in the pipeline, so far in the league.
“I don’t see the real quality of forwards. I don’t see Kilkenny having enough. Adrian Mullen is a big loss, but I couldn’t see them having enough to make a consistent push.”