Brothers in arms yet on opposing sides.
Clara won the Kilkenny senior hurling title on Sunday, their second in three years, overcoming O’Loughin Gaels 2-12 to 1-13 at Nowlan Park.
Always a very significant county final, this year’s Kilkenny decider was also noteworthy for the clash of brothers Brian and Keith Hogan.
Clara captain Keith embraced his brother and former Kilkenny centre-back Brian, of O’Loughlin Gaels, at the final whistle.
The sibling rivals have tangled before, including another Clara victory at the quarter-final stage last year, and back in 2013 younger brother Keith explained how he came to play against his brother.
“My parents got married and were living in [Kilkenny City] and had my two brothers, Brian and Barry. They moved out to Clara then where they bought the house and settled.
“I was born a year later in Clara. I was born beside the likes of Lester Ryan and Liam and Tom and Mick McDonald. I was baptised in Clara, went off to primary school in Clara, grew up with the boys and that was it.
“The boys are pure-bred O’Loughlins and I am pure-bred Clara. It is a weird situation but it works, we don’t fall out over it.”
Yesterday in Nowlan Park would have been a testing hour for the brothers, who ended up marking each other.
Something you don't see every day as the Hogan brothers play for different clubs in @KilkennyCLG county final today! pic.twitter.com/EK9TgOqCSZ
— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) October 25, 2015
The Hogan brothers are marking each other. #GAA
— Pat Nolan (@pat_nolan) October 25, 2015
An even more emotional family scene took place at the final whistle, with another set of brothers, Liam and Lester Ryan, joining their mother for a bittersweet moment. The pair, and a third brother Tom, were competing in their first county final since losing their father Johnny in a farming accident earlier this year.
Liam and Lester Ryan celebrate Clara's win in the @KilkennyCLG county final with their mother Lily! #GAA pic.twitter.com/f7yoANSbgb
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) October 25, 2015
While the Kilkenny SHC final was a close run thing, the battle of the brothers in Mayo was a rout. Eoghan O’Reilly saw his Castlebar Mitchels stroll to victory over his younger brother Tommy’s Breaffy, 4-10 to 0-9.
Tommy ended up playing for the suburban club after drifting away from Gaelic football for a few years, but he managed a pointed free as he, the O’Shea brothers and the Breaffy boys were outclassed by Mitchels.
'And Again!' Meanwhile in @MayoGAA county final, the O’Reilly brothers played against each other too! @MayoGAABlog pic.twitter.com/KIbpHJywiK
— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) October 25, 2015
Brothers, Eoghan and Tommy O'Reilly, on opposing sides here. Their father Tom also part of Breaffy management team.
— Donnchadh Boyle (@depboyle) October 25, 2015
Brothers first, rivals second. Eoghan O'Reilly consoles his brother Tommy after @MayoGAA county final. #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/2D5XmndZMH
— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) October 25, 2015
On a busy weekend of club action nobody was busier than Portlaoise, who saw off Emo in the Laois SFC final replay on Saturday evening before facing Carlow champions Palatine in the Leinster championship on Sunday.
9-in-a row for Portlaoise: Father/Son Mick & Kieran Lillis – tomorrow they will be opponents. AIB LeinsterClub #gaa pic.twitter.com/PzcAn4cJhk
— Cóilín Duffy (@coilinduffy) October 24, 2015
Son Kieran got the better of his father and Palatine manager, Mick Lillis, yesterday. Let’s hope father doesn’t hold it against son when he takes up his new job as Laois senior football manager!
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