Thomastown are looking to back up their Kilkenny intermediate triumph from last year with senior glory this Sunday.
Winning is a habit and Thomastown have been in the groove over the last two seasons, streaking all the way to All-Ireland intermediate glory last year before cruising to the senior final, beating Ballyhale Shamrocks along the way.
The Blues have been doing it in style, winning the Kilkenny, Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate final by a combined total of 46 points last season.
These are special times for the south Kilkenny club having endured their fair share of heartache in the intermediate grade in recent times.
Before finally tasting glory last year, they'd lost three finals in four years as something of a hoodoo emerged at the final hurdle of the intermediate grade.
But they've put those darker days to bed, overcoming the Shamrocks in the quarter final before trouncing Mullinavat by eighteen points in the semi-final.
It sets up a a first ever Kilkenny SHC final meeting with O'Loughlin Gaels, with Thomastown potentially set to join a list of clubs who have backed up intermediate glroy with a senior triumph the following year.
Clara (Kilkenny)
Thomastown's emergence draws comparisons with the rise of fellow Kilkenny club Clara, who did the intermediate/senior double in the space of 12 wonderful months between 2012 and 2013.
Like Thomastown, Clara took confidence from All-Ireland intermediate glory the following year, before powering onto a senior triumph where they beat Carrickshock in the final.
Clonlara (Clare)
Inspired by a young John Conlon, Clonlara won the Clare and Munster intermediate titles in 2007 before going onto lift the Clare senior crown in 2008.
That remained their most recent triumph until bridging a fifteen year gap to lift Canon Hamilton again last year.
Melvin Gaels (Leitrim)
The Leitrim club did likewise in 2011 and 2012, with Emlyn Mulligan instrumental in a shock triumph over Glencar Manorhamilton in the senior decider.
Old Leighlin (Carlow)
Old Leighlin stopped Éire Óg's dominance of the Carlow scene in spectacular fashion in 1997.
The town team were going for six Carlow titles in a row only for Old Leighlin to emerge, backing up intermediate glory in 1996 with a first ever senior title in '97, beating Palatine in the final.
St James' (Wexford)
Just like Old Leighlin, the Wexford club surged to their first ever title buoyed by intermediate glory the year previous.
Wexford hurling defender Matthew O'Hanlon was at the heart of their triumph over St Martin's, giving an inspirational performance from midfield.
Ballaghaderreen (Mayo)
The Mayo club followed up intermediate glory in '71 with a senior triumph in '72.
Honourable mentions:
Trillick lost the Tyrone intermediate final in 2014 before winning the senior in 2015.
Dunnamaggin won Kilkenny junior, intermediate and senior titles in a four year spell between '94 and '97.
Kilmainhamwood lost the '93 intermediate football final in Meath before winning in '94. They lost the senior final in '95 before coming back to win it in 1996. You have to lose one to win one!
Mullaghbawn went from winning junior in Armagh in '86 to the intermediate in '92. Led by the emergence of a young Kieran McGeeney, they added the senior title in '95, crowning their rise with an Ulster club title.
