“You shouldn’t need motivation for a county final” | Adare’s Pat O’Connor doesn’t need reminding of SFC final importance

O’Connor and his team will be looking to put last year’s final defeat to NCW behind them ahead of Sunday’s clash.

Adare are on the hunt for their fourth Senior Football Championship title since 2017 when they take on holders Newcastle West in the final this Sunday.

It’s been a relatively straight-forward campaign for last year’s runners up with a perfect record so far from their six games including a win in the semi-final over Fr. Casey’s just two weeks ago.

However, Adare native Pat O’Connor hasn’t been too satisfied with the team’s performances despite their record but believes his side have hit their targets nonetheless.

“You set yourselves targets, I suppose ultimately, every club wants to get to a county final, it’s only available for two clubs so you know it’s a great position to be in.

“We came through the group stages, didn’t play particularly well we just managed to do enough I suppose to get through the group stages. We played well in our last group game against St. Kieran’s and luckily enough we got over the line yesterday (semi-final).”

In recent years, Adare and Newcastle West have birthed a new rivalry in Limerick club football with the last five titles going in either direction.

Sunday’s fixture will be the next chapter of their rivalry but O’Connor believes that the occasion itself of a final should be enough motivation for his players outside of the recent battles between the two clubs.

“First of all you shouldn’t need motivation for a county final, the rivalry between ourselves and Newcastle West is of recent nature.

“I think in the last five years, we’ve won three county finals, they’ve won two county finals, we’ve beaten each other in county final and we’ve beaten each other in a county semi-final. It’s a keen rivalry, they’re a fine team, they’re a fine club and we respect them, I’ll have no doubt they’ll be equally motivated to get on top of us and I would imagine there’ll be little between the teams.”

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Adare face Newcastle West in Kilmallock this Sunday at 3pm in the Limerick Senior Football Championship Final.