A NEW journey begins in what has already been a great year for Kilbrittain hurling.

This is the club’s first foray into the AIB Munster JHC, where they face Limerick side Knockaderry away this Saturday (1.15pm).

Kilbrittain’s opponents saw off Kenmare Shamrocks by 2-16 to 2-14 after a late rally in their quarter-final.

The Black and Amber haven’t played a competitive game since their county premier junior final win over Glen Rovers (0-22 to 2-15), but it’s fair to say the break has been welcomed.

‘There was a great buzz after the final and we enjoyed the celebrations. We went back a week after the final for a light puck-around and got motoring again. We’ve had challenge matches to keep lads fresh and reduce the risk of injury,’ Kilbrittain boss Joe Ryan said.

‘It was great to be able to celebrate. Now, other clubs in dual finals would say it’s good to be in both – that’s true as well. You want to win as much as you can while you can. It was nice to celebrate, relax after the final and not be rushing. We got into the logistics of things again. The weather has thrown a few things off recently, but we just have to reschedule and get on with it.’

This provincial venture marks new ground for the West Cork club. Considering they won all their championship games on the way to county glory, the team will be full of confidence.

‘To get into Munster and play against teams that you wouldn’t ordinarily come across, with new venues and different challenges, is brilliant,’ Ryan said.

‘Winning all your games in the championship, whether in the group stages or knockouts, gives you massive momentum. We got that from the football too. The lads were used to going week-on, week-off, back-to-back. The challenge now is having the month off, but we made sure we got a challenge game in and gradually ramped up training.’

The last six Cork clubs to compete in the provincial junior championship have gone on to win it. That’s a great fillip for Kilbrittain, but their manager knows how dangerous the other contenders in this grade can be.

‘It’s probably a reflection of the standard of Cork hurling when a team comes out and wins a premier junior title – it gives you a great chance,’ Ryan noted. ‘You look at Kilrossanty from Waterford, they were in the final last year losing to Russell Rovers, so they have that experience. Knockaderry were only intermediate until a couple of years ago, so they’ve been playing at a higher level.

‘The fact we’re going to Knockaderry is a brilliant challenge. Things like that can be a leveller, along with weather conditions and home advantage. We’re not looking beyond Knockaderry anyway.’

In the Limerick club’s win over Kenmare, Ryan identified a few key threats.

‘To be fair to Knockaderry, some of their big players stepped up. Rob Egan at centre-forward came up with a good few points near the end. Obviously, you have Tom Condon then, who is a big player for them – very clever, with a cool head.’

With Kilbrittain boasting the likes of Philip Wall, Mark Hickey and Josh O’Donovan, this clash has all the ingredients of a fierce battle.