Killeedy and Tournafulla, perched on the North Cork border, rely on each other for survival. Many of their players have played together, gone to school together, grown up together, won a County U21 title together, and will drink together in the same pubs post-match, even if only one can celebrate going up to Intermediate.

Seven years ago, Tour made the front page of Examiner Sport after their club was hit by crisis.Fifteen of their players had emigrated as they lost their senior status, the backbone of a team and a generation of players.

So, has the economic recovery trickled down into the West Limerick countryside? And, JP’s donation aside, has the county’s All-Ireland success planted any seeds at grassroots?

It seems events in Croker have had a greater impact than those at Leinster House.

“I’m tired of talking about it [rural depopulation] but it’s a huge problem,” says Liam Lenihan, a Tournafulla clubman and former Limerick GAA chairman.

He’s seen the village go from 12 shops to none, 200 farmers to 20. A post office, filling station and garda station all gone. Now, the creamery is closing at the end of this year.

“You have to have something in a rural area and the GAA is the main focal point of the community. It’s the lifeblood of the area. You have the school, the GAA club, and the church. There’s a fine community centre as well and that’s it. We’re making the best of it.”

Their claim to fame is as the longest village in Ireland — a mile and a half between speed-limit signs — despite being Limerick’s smallest population centre in the census. Most of their players are commuting the hour to Limerick and a few new houses have even joined up the village. Not completely joined it up, mind you, but a bit more.

“You’d get a house cheaper here and if you were stuck, there’d always be a neighbour who wouldn’t overcharge you for a site.”

Their team is young, again through necessity. Emigration isn’t quite at the crisis levels of the recession — a few have come back from Australia and into their Junior B team, which won a first West title since 1965 — but it continues to gnaw away at the foundations of the club.

“After the West final [a two-point loss to Killeedy], our half-back Levi Ryan flew out to Dubai to work. Stephen Cahill, who was the captain of CIT this year, is playing with us on Saturday but going to Australia next week. You just have to keep the show on the road. We’re keeping it alive.”

Tournafulla and Killeedy could hardly be closer neighbours. Driving between the two, a flag wishing Tour the best of luck is followed within 20 yards by one supporting Killeedy. They share a combined 207 years of history, both proudly still field at Junior B, have vibrant camogie clubs and players willing to commute for the cause. Tour goalie and nursing student Pádraig Collins travels over from Luton for matches. Killeedy’s Cathal Mullane drives down from his home in Longford, where he plays inter-county hurling. Their sub goalie Joe Mulcahy, “in the twilight of his career”, even offers a link back to Killeedy’s 1992 Intermediate champions.

They share relations and families cross parish lines. Niall Curtin manages Tour, aided by his brother-in-law Andrew O’Shaughnessy. His other sister is married to Killeedy selector Tomás McHenry.

They share a passionate volunteer spirit and a pride in the development of their facilities; Tour’s new dressing rooms and clubhouse all but finished and Killeedy’s ball alley, with AstroTurf and lighting, still brand-new.

“You have to live in a rural community like Killeedy or Tournafulla to realise the depth and thread that a GAA club is in a rural parish,” says lifelong Killeedy volunteer Mike Cunningham, now coaching and games officer for Limerick GAA.

“Killeedy’s off-the-field development is second-to-none in the country for a small rural parish. You’re talking about somewhere between €400,000 and €500,000 of development in the last 20 years. All debt free, all paid for.

“We’d be known for hurling but we’d be known far and wide for fundraising. We appreciate all the grant aid down through the years but, by and large, most of it was gathered by the people of the parish for the parish.It’s about a sense of belonging to the parish.” For all they share, especially that underage amalgamation, now in its third year, maintaining their independence and historic rivalry is the primary goal for both clubs.

When the Limerick County Board elevated them from junior to senior in 1972, they never could’ve predicted they’d make five of the next eight finals between them. Tour’s sole final loss in ’79 a blow surely worsened by Killeedy winning their greatest prize in 1980.

“There’s a stronger connection between the two parishes than ever but that doesn’t change the rivalry when it comes to a county final. It’s probably one of the greatest parish rivalries in the GAA,” continues Cunningham.

“The struggle will be to field teams on our own but the goal will be to maintain our club identity. Even though we’re joined [underage], the long-term aim will be that both clubs will be able to survive at adult level on their own.”

That it’s an all-West Limerick final means so much more to a division with only one senior hurling club (Adare) and no Premier Intermediate club. Of the 23 clubs in the West, only five field on their own at underage level.

Asked about the effect of Limerick’s All-Ireland win, “huge” is the reply from both Cunningham and Lenihan. Huge for hurling, huge for people’s spirits, huge excitement. Killeedy even had two All-Ireland final days to celebrate this year, as organisers and hosts of the Junior B All-Ireland every spring. Just another innovation to keep the countryside alive.

Killeedy’s schools were visited by the Liam MacCarthy Cup last week and there’s huge anticipation in Tour ahead of the trophy’s visit next week, where Declan Hannon will also make an appearance at the camogie club’s fashion show on Thursday.

But today in Dromcollogher at 2.30pm, it’s another trophy that matters most.