20 Year Anniversary of our 2004 U21 County Championship

Back row(l-r): Conor Sherlock, Paul McNamara, Tom Quinn Jr, Declan O’Connor, David Breen, Neil O’Gorman, Mike Brougham, Niall O’Rourke, Kieran Breen, Pa Guinane, Eddie Kelly Jr, Tomás Downes, Mark O’Dwyer, Paul Downes. Front row: Podge Kennedy, John Devereux, Darragh Laffan, Colin Heffernan, Brian Shannon, John Madden, Danny Ahern, Aidan Hennessy, Alan O’Callaghan, Bradley Russell, Kevin Ryan. Missing: Gordon Leonard.

• Conor Sherlock - Conor had to sit out the final due to injury. He would go on to win a senior county and Munster Club championship in 2011 before moving on to pastures new with Claughaun.
• Tom Quinn Jr - Tom Brave would go on to be ever present in our Junior A and Junior B teams in the following years, winning a Junior B City Championship in 2020. Tom was always good for taking man, ball and all, along with being rarely booked, strangely enough. He currently manages our Junior C team.
• Declan O'Connor - A dual player, Blackie would go on to feature in our Junior A football final win in 2006. Lining out at wing forward in the 2004 final, he was a member of the senior panel in 2011 for our maiden Limerick and Munster championship wins. Rowing was Blackie’s true love though, with him going on to captain our great neighbors St. Michael’s in 2012.
• David Breen - It was Davy’s hurley that got on the end of Maca’s mishit/perfectly floated 65 on the edge of the square to win the final. He would go on to be hugely influential in driving our senior hurlers to success in the years after. David also played a pivotal role in Limerick's 2013 Munster Championship victory, delivering standout performances against Tipp in the semi-final and Cork in the final. He’s now working as first team physio for a small association football team in England called Liverpool.

Kieran Breen gives his acceptance speech.

• Gordon Leonard - Gordon saved the day in the City final against Ballybrown in 2004, making a crucial save on the goal line late on. The game ended 14 points to 12 in our favor. Gordon continues to be a mainstay in our Junior B team to this day. A bit of maverick, but undeniably a Na Piarsaigh maverick.
• Neil O'Gorman - Neil lined out at corner back in the final and resumed that position for our Junior C’s this year. He would go on to play for our seniors in the years after the 04 final, playing at wing back in the 2009 senior final loss to Adare. Neil spent a couple of years studying in Dublin where he would line out for Clontarf. With them he would win a Dublin Junior Championship along with multiple league titles and be part of the first Clontarf team to play twice in the Leinster Championship. He now lives in a big house in Murroe.
• Mike Brougham - Banger would go on to manage our Junior A hurlers to a county championship in 2016 and was a key member of management with the minor hurlers this year as we reached the county final. I have a vivid memory of his head being bandaged up like Terry Butcher in the dying moments of the 2004 final. He produced a warrior-like display from midfield.

Aidan Hennessy and Neil O'Gorman.

• Niall O'Rourke - Rourkey spent a number of years assisting Barry in the club bar. He’s now living in Sydney with his fiancé Rebecca and daughter Allegra. No Gaa for Niall in Oz, can be found clocking up kilometers open water swimming, playing bad golf and supporting the Crows in the AFL. He plans to swim the English Channel someday in the future.
• Kieran Breen - Now based in Dublin, Kieran captained Na Piarsaigh in the final. He would go on to win multiple Limerick and Munster Club Championships at full back along with the coveted Celtic Cross in 2016. He was also prone to getting sent off on a semi-regular basis.
• Pa Guinane - Still U17 in 2004, Pa was the youngest outfield player on the starting 15, lining out at wing back. He would go on to captain the senior hurlers in our first county final appearance in 2009. Pa has remained heavily involved with underage teams in the club.
• Eddie Kelly Jr. - Eddie played a starring role at full forward throughout the 2004 U21 championship. He relocated to France in the years after and would go on to serve as vice chairman of Toulouse club Tolosa Gaels. Eddie would return to Limerick and line out for our junior hurlers circa 2017. He now resides in Luxembourg.
• Tomás Downes - The Coonagh man propped up the left side of our half back line in the county final. Has carved out an excellent coaching CV in recent years with the likes of Garryspillane in Limerick, Feakle in Clare and Newtownshandrum in Cork.This on top of coaching multiple Na Piarsaigh underage county titles along with playing a key role in bringing many young men through to the senior ranks of both club and county.
• Mark O’Dwyer - Wirey now resides in Knocknacarra and has become a core part of Cumann Mícheál Breathnach. He never forgets his Limerick roots and isn’t shy of reminding his Galway pals of our recent successes.

Kevin Ryan, Paul McNamara, Niall O'Rourke, Mike Brougham and Brian Canty.

• Paul Downes - Paulie was a mainstay on our Junior A team for many years and also part of the county and Munster Championship winning squad of 2011. He’s still good for a game or two of Junior B every year but you’re more likely to spot him behind the camera recording our senior championship games these days. Best avoid him under a high ball as it didn’t matter what team you were on, Paulie was pulling.
• Podge Kennedy - Podge was unfortunate to miss the final due to illness. He would go on to play every minute of our first 6 county championships including 4 Munster clubs, and the All Ireland in 2016. Along with Banger, Podge was a key part of this year's minor management team that lost out narrowly in the county final.
• John Deveraux - John lives in Cork and played with Bishopstown in recent years. He’s married to Laura, has a son Michael and a daughter Rosa.
• Darragh Laffan - Another dual player, Cha would go on to play junior hurling along with featuring centrally with our footballers as we won the junior A title in 2006 and battled for promotion to the senior ranks in the years following. He is an officer in the Irish Navy and now lives in Ballysteen with his wife Emma and their 3 kids.
• Colin Heffernan - Noddy was a mainstay in Na Piarsaigh full back lines at underage and junior level for many years. Best avoid him if you decided to go on a solo run as it was akin to hitting a brick wall when collided with.
• Brian Shannon - The youngest member of the squad that year, Shanna would go on to play senior hurling in 2011 and be a key member of Na Piarsaigh’s football trevails as our lads made the jump from junior to intermediate, and up to senior in 2014.

Mark O'Dwyer, Mike Brougham, Kieran Breen and Niall O'Rourke.

• John Madden - Johnny would go to feature for our senior hurlers in the subsequent years, winning multiple county and Munster club championships, along with an All Ireland Club in 2016. Injury forced him into early retirement, and these days, you’re more likely to spot him tearing up the fairways at golf courses across Limerick and neighboring counties.
• Danny Aherne - Danny lives in Newcastle a few hours north of Sydney. He has a partner called Clare and a little boy called Eddie and two identical twin girls called Orla and Sophia. He hasn't played any GAA since he moved to Oz, couple more cruciate surgeries ended any prospect of that. He has competed nationally in Oz in skydiving championships, best placing 3rd in their division. He also once came 3rd in a drag competition dressed as Amy Winehouse in France.
• Aidan Hennessy - Aidan was first spotted by Liam Kennedy while lining out for Ardscoil Rís having only moved up from Cork with his family. Liamo was always known for having a good eye for a player and this was no different. Aidan would go on to feature heavily for the seniors in succeeding years, playing in multiple county finals.

Conor Sherlock, Podge Kennedy, Aidan Hennessy, Neil O'Gorman and Kevin Ryan.

• Alan O'Callaghan - Lining out at corner forward in the final, Ally Cals was always reliable from placed balls. He would go on to feature for our seniors in the years subsequent to the 2004 but injury greatly curtailed his hurling career. A nipper in the corner, he always gained special attention from opposing corner backs.
• Bradley Russell - Rattler deputized for Podge in the final that day and performed diligently. The youngest member of the starting 15 along with being the soundest, Bradley would go on to play senior in the years after along with being a key member of the panel in 2011.
• Paul McNamara - Maca took the famous 65’ at the end. He still maintains to this day that he delivered a perfectly floated pass to the edge of the square for Davy to flick to the net. The best mishit free he’s ever had. Paul is now chairman of Bord na nÓg and can still do a job in goals for the junior B’s he tells us.
• Kevin Ryan - Selected at wing forward for the 2004 final, Spinner had that rare skill of being able to make the ball talk. He played a pivotal role in steering Na Piarsaigh to senior success in later years while remaining a steadfast force during the club's more challenging seasons. A Na Piarsaigh man to the core, Spinner’s loyalty and determination were matched only by his admiration for Rocky Balboa.