Blackwater Community School go in search of All Ireland glory on Saturday in Abbotstown.
The Lismore side will take on St Killians from Antrim in the Paddy Buggy Cup Final at 1.30. Blackwater last captured this title in 2008.
The West Waterford outfit defeated High School Clonmel in the Munster final and then beat Banagher College in the All Ireland semi final. Joint captain Joe O'Keeffe is part of Ken McGrath's Under 20 panel this year while Billy Murphy, Jack Twomey, Joseph McDonnell and Ben Cummins are part of the minor set-up. The management team consists of Fintan O'Connor, Jamie Kearney, Eoin Mac Craith and Maurice Geary.
They have been training hard since the end of August and O'Connor has enjoyed every moment with these players. "You know them so long in school. I've been with loads of different teams all over the place and you know them for a brief spell. In school, you know them for six years. You're there Monday to Friday from 9 to 3 and you see them grow up. Some of the lads that will be playing Saturday, we saw them in first year when they were tiny and maybe weren't as good at hurling and they've developed into something totally different now. That's a lovely journey to share with them. We're hugely proud of the lads. No matter what happens on Saturday, they've carried themselves really well. We're delighted with them."
Hear more from Fintan O'Connor on Friday's Lár Na Páirce from 6.10.
