O'Brien Family Look to Add Another Chapter to Seismic Story - RTÉ.ie

“It was surreal,” Shane O’Brien told RTÉ.

As noted by RTÉ, the O’Brien family has already enjoyed an unforgettable year, and this weekend brings a chance to pen yet another installment. Gavin contributed a vital goal during the Limerick minors’ thrilling All-Ireland final victory against Tipperary, prior to his older sibling Shane playing a key role in Limerick’s campaign for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Shane achieved this success with the support of his dad in the backroom team, as Adrian O’Brien served as the strength and conditioning coach with the Limerick seniors last season. Having recently helped Kilmallock secure the Limerick county title, Shane prepares for this weekend’s return to the Munster club championship as his side faces Waterford powerhouses Ballygunner.

The O’Brien family’s recent GAA achievements arrive on the heels of a period in which O’Brien’s grandfather, Paudie Maloney, gained nationwide prominence through his appearances on The Traitors and Dancing with the Stars.

March virgin park cork ireland sean o brien of munster rugby during the bkt united rugby championship munster zebre parma

“He was brilliant and it was very enjoyable. He would’ve gone to a lot of my matches, watching me play, so it was different then being on the other side of it, watching him on live TV and whatnot,” Shane O’Brien told the RTÉ GAA podcast. “Around the time of Limerick and stuff, people would ask ‘can we get a photo Shane’ but now it’s ‘can we get a photo with Paudie’s grandson’!” Shane O'Brien

With two All-Ireland medals arriving into the O’Brien household this summer, the younger O’Brien admits that the significance of that achievement will only properly sink in the years to come.

“We’ve some lovely photos at home, my mam is going around framing nice photos and pictures of us,” O’Brien told RTÉ.

“They’re brilliant to have, it’s something you’ll look back on in 20 or 30 years when it all finishes up and you’ll be very grateful for those days because, as I said, there’s not many families that get to experience it as I have in the last few months, so I’m very grateful for it.”

Sunday’s showdown with reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Ballygunner will see Kilmallock enter as underdogs. Commonly referred to as ‘The Bull’, O’Brien emphasizes that the Limerick title-holders will head into the fixture fully believing in their own capabilities.

“It is focused on ourselves,” O’Brien told RTÉ of their preparations. “We realised we need to focus on ourselves a lot more than our opposition. We’ll obviously spend a bit of time going through them and they’re a brilliant club. They haven’t won what they have without the work they’ve put in and I’ve seen their underage success as well, it’s phenomenal. We’ll go out there with a plan.”

O'Brien Family Look to Add Another Chapter to Seismic Story - RTÉ.ie

Even though Ballygunner stand out as the preeminent club side in Munster over recent years by securing four out of the past five titles, Kilmallock likewise possess a rich heritage of holding their own at the provincial stage. Holding three Munster titles—with their most recent triumph occurring in 2014—the south Limerick side draws substantial confidence from that past legacy as they aim for success outside their county borders.

“Definitely a motivating factor for me, to be honest,” O’Brien told RTÉ regarding Kilmallock’s history.

“If you look on YouTube and stuff, you see Kilmallock and homecomings in the ’90s when they got to the All-Ireland club final and the 2010s and stuff, it’s definitely a motivator. You want to write your own history as a team in the club as well, and I’m delighted we got to do that. It’s such a privilege to get the first one with a few of those lads and hopefully we can kick on in the next few years.”

Disclaimer: The analytical insights and data provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.

Worth a look