St Finbarr’s and Dingle clash this weekend in the final of the Munster Senior Club Football Championship, with Dingle chasing history and St Finbarr’s eager to add to their Munster roll of honour.
For St Finbarr’s, winning would reinforce their dominance and pride in Cork football. For Dingle, it’s a chance to build on their historic Kerry success and prove their place among Munster’s elite.
Regardless, neither side will hold anything back, and every score will matter with both clubs desperate for victory
St Finbarr’s hoping to win another Munster title
St Finbarr’s head to Thurles on Sunday with plenty at stake. Already Cork Premier Senior Football champions after winning the October decider, they’ve carried their autumn form into the Munster campaign.
Their semi-final performance was nothing short of dominant. A swashbuckling display saw them rout Éire Óg (Ennis) 3‑20 to 0‑14, with RTÉ’s Sunday Game Team of the Year player Brian Hayes, better known as a hurler, stealing the show.
The dual star netted a hat-trick and finished with 3‑3 from play, showcasing his lethal scoring instinct.
Confidence is sky-high, and the squad boasts depth and belief across the park. Defence receives a boost too, with corner-back Dylan Quinn declared fit after a minor injury. If St Finbarr’s replicate that blend of firepower and discipline, they’ll be a serious force in Munster this Sunday.
History is beckoning for Dingle
Dingle go into the 2025 Munster Club Senior Football final fresh off a historic Kerry triumph, their first in 77 years. On 26 October, they ended decades of heartbreak, edging Austin Stacks 2‑13 to 1‑12, with captain Paul Geaney delivering the decisive late scores that have come to define this season.
For this small West Kerry town, the victory was a long‑awaited release. “It is just extra special, we are such a small town,” Geaney said, reflecting on that county final win.
Now, that momentum fuels their Munster push. A provincial crown wouldn’t just be a trophy; it would solidify Dingle’s imprint on the club’s Gaelic football map.
Those watching Dingle will be thinking two things ahead of the final. Can Dingle reproduce the intensity they showed against Mungret when facing a more battle‑hardened Cork champion in St Finbarr’s?
Will the AFL‑style athleticism and adaptability of Mark O’Connor, who has been cleared to play by Aussie rules side Geelong, continue to prove a difference under the higher pressure of a final and help them get the job done?
O’Connor’s presence, fitness, calmness and experience bring something different to Dingle.
He offers composure under pressure and a midfield presence that can drive possession, distribution and structure. With the squad reportedly almost injury‑free, he could prove pivotal come the final and go back to Australia with a cherished winner’s medal.
Why is a Munster Senior Club Football Championship title so important?
Winning the Munster Senior Club Football Championship remains the province’s most prestigious club honour. It remains the dream for any top‑tier club.
For St Finbarr’s, a win would mark their sixth Munster title, reinforcing their status among the elite of Munster club football, while Dingle are chasing a first-ever provincial crown.
Securing provincial bragging rights would cap an outstanding 2025 and provide momentum heading into the club All-Ireland series.
Who are favourites for the Munster crown??
Sunday’s Munster Club final promises to be a fiercely contested encounter, pitting Cork champions St Finbarr’s against Kerry’s historic winners, Dingle. St Finbarr’s arrive with experience and a deep squad, having dismantled Éire Óg in the semi-final.
Dingle carry momentum and emotion from their first county title in 77 years. The game may well hinge on midfield battles, with Mark O’Connor’s presence for Dingle against the Barrs’ structured spine. Both sides boast scoring threats, Hayes for St Finbarr’s and Geaney for Dingle, making accuracy key.
Barrs selector and Cork legend Jimmy Barry‑Murphy, never far from a big game, has conceded his side are underdogs going into the weekend final. But he insisted that the panel are “very, very keen to do well in the Munster Club Championship” and have “knuckled down very well.” Nevertheless, expect a tense, tight affair.
A draw at full-time is plausible, but in a game of fine margins, St Finbarr’s slight experience edge could see them narrowly prevail, though Dingle’s hunger ensures nothing is straightforward; this one will be one by the slightest of margins.
