Gaelic Games All-Ireland club hurling semi-final: Ian O'Riordan talks to the Newtownshandrum coach, Ger Cunningham, who is making a name for himself

The emergence of Newtownshandrum as the new force in Cork hurling hasn't been without its complications. As the club's success spreads so too does interest in the men behind it and one name repeatedly mentioned is Ger Cunningham.

So, behind it all is the former Cork great, goalkeeper for three All-Ireland victories, and champion too with his club St Finbar's.

At least that's the assumption of most people living outside the small parish close to the Limerick border, even the majority of close hurling followers in Cork.

Truth is the Ger Cunningham that coaches Newtownshandrum wasn't even born in Cork. A native of the small Limerick village of Knockainey, and now a sports manager at the University of Limerick, he clearly understands why so many people mistake him for the Cork legend of the same name.

"Ah yeah," he laughs, "I've been mistaken for the other Ger Cunningham once or twice. But in fact I've never even had the honour of meeting the man. People within the county are slowly realising the difference, but outside of Cork I can understand why people assume I'm the other Ger."

What this Ger Cunningham is currently looking forward to is Sunday's All-Ireland club hurling semi-final against O'Loughlin Gaels, set for the hallowed turf of Semple Stadium.

Already he's helped take Newtown' further than they've ever been in their history, winning a first Munster title last November, just four years after winning a first Cork county title. And Cunningham believes there's no reason to stop thinking bigger just yet.

"In general our preparations have gone very well," he adds. "It has been a long break since the last match, and you always fear that after a break like that you might lose some momentum. But hopefully that won't be the case here.

"And I think the way the lads see it now is that we are good enough to make the final in Croke Park. Every day we've gone out this year we have set our standards that bit higher. It's the same for Sunday.

"You're always worried whether or not they can raise themselves again, but the players are definitely up for it."

The only blip in the semi-final countdown has been the knee injury sustained by forward Ben O'Connor, who has been their scoring machine throughout the county and provincial championship.

"Well Ben did a bit of running at the weekend, but it's still touch and go. Of course, he'd be a huge loss if he didn't make it, but to be honest I get the feeling wild horses couldn't drag him away from Thurles on Sunday."

Their meeting with the Kilkenny and Leinster champions is also set to re-enact the flavour of last year's All-Ireland championship final.

Both teams are sprinkled with their share of county representatives, and Cunningham has in no way under-estimated the challenge that lies in store.

"Sure they're a huge team, and everyone knows they're going to be very difficult to beat. People are expecting a great game of hurling, but I suppose it could go either way.

"It might be that we balance out each other's strengths, and that could make for a dull game. But with good conditions on a good pitch I'd be more inclined to believe it could be a classic."

But comparisons with the Kilkenny champions soon end. The Newtown' team is drawn from a far shallower pool of players, with the parish population not much more than 800. They work off a panel of 25 players - including several minors - and rely on the total commitment of each of them.

And the close bond within that panel is quickly reflected by the family names. There are three Mulcahy brothers, Brendan and Pat in defence, and Donal in the forwards. There are three more O'Connors, twins Ben and Jerry and substitute John.

While Patsy Morrissey acts as team manager, Cunningham concentrates on the coaching, and the style of their hurling has been one of the talking points of their progress this season.

Pace, running and possession are the defining terms, but Cunningham's calls it "controlled hurling" and says it's the style that has always worked best for the players.

Last season, with former Limerick manager Tom Ryan in charge, the team adopted a different style, slightly more physical, and they soon struggled. When Cunningham took over the first thing he did was revisit the more accustomed style: "I said I'd let them play they way they wanted, and let them do what they're good at."

These are busy days for Cunningham, who also coaches the Limerick Fitzgibbon team, and who, despite being in his early 30s, is fast gaining a reputation for coaching skilful and tactically aware hurlers.

And with that he is fast losing that mistaken identity.