WATCH: O’Donoghue focused on county final amidst three-in-a-row chatter

This Sunday Na Piarsaigh aim for three-in-a-row in the Limerick SHC while Patrickswell will be looking to make it a record 20 county titles as the two sides meet in the Gaelic Grounds at 3.30pm.

Na Piarsaigh are hoping to complete a first two in a row in their history and make it an incredible sixth title since their maiden victory in 2011.

William O’Donoghue is into his second year as captain and will be keen to lift the John Daly cup this Sunday.

Although Na Piarsaigh are aiming for a third successive final victory O’Donoghue says his side are totally focused on the 2019 edition of the final with history irrelevant to the team on the day.

“We have to take this final in isolation. It’s a County Final and it’s there to be won. We are trying to add that honour of a county medal to our armoury, but we certainly aren’t looking at it in terms of a three-in-a-row.”

Na Piarsaigh qualified for the final by virtue of a hard-fought victory over Kilmallock but O’Donoghue says that win is in the past with his team looking solely at the upcoming game.

While they had sixteen points to spare when the sides met in the group stages, it was a much closer affair a fortnight ago with the Caherdavin side eventually winning out 0-23 to 0-18.

With Shane Dowling and Peter Casey both absent on the day, William Henn stood up for the county champions accounting for 0-13 of his sides score.

However, O’Donoghue says the result and performance will count for little this Sunday with everyone needed on the top of the their game.

“I would rate Kilmallock as one of the best teams in Munster and the country so I think it was a serious feat to do what we did but we put ourselves in a very vulnerable position, not through a lack of performance but a lack of hunger. But it is encouraging that we turned it around.”

“A county final is a different story. I don’t think there’s a direct correlation between a good performance two weeks ago and this Sunday, so we all have to look to give a great performance this Sunday.”

These sides met in Round 2 of the competition where Patrickswell secured a relatively comfortable five-point win.

This win would secure Patrickswell’s place at the top of the table come the end of the group stages with both sides finishing on eight points.

Indeed the ‘Well were the only unbeaten side in the competition and O’Donoghue is fully aware of the threat they pose ahead of the showpiece event this Sunday.

“They’re unbeaten and I can’t say much more. I don’t know what way they’re feeling or how things are going in their camp but they’re unbeaten and we’re not. That’s where it is at the moment.”