Cloughbawn start life away from top flight after 45 years

THE SUN came out to greet Cloughbawn’s return to the second tier of domestic club hurling on Saturday, and the Enniscorthy District side responded with a comfortable 0-17 to 0-8 victory over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate championship Group A opener in Killurin.

The weekend was notable for the fact that the victors were missing from Senior ranks for the first time in 45 years, and clearly the target is to make an immediate return to the top flight.

Believe it or not, the last Intermediate game played by the Cloughbawn first team before Saturday was on November 25, 1973, when they pipped St. Martin’s by one point (4-4 to 3-6) in O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, to clinch the county championship title.

And they quickly got into the swing of things in the Senior grade, reaching the first of 16 semi-finals prior to last year’s relegation at the initial attempt in 1974.

They were back there again in 1978 without success, but the next generation of Cloughbawn hurlers made the breakthrough during an era of admirable consistency when the team reached the last four every year without a break from 1986 to 1993.

The first final appearance of the modern era ended in a narrow defeat to more experienced neighbours Rathnure in 1987, and there was a similar outcome in the decider of 1990 which was one of the most disappointing in living memory.

Persistence paid off for Cloughbawn though in a novel final in 1993 when they defeated District rivals Rapparees after a replay to regain a crown last held in 1951, and this third Senior title in the club’s history will be suitably marked later in the year.

Defeats followed in the finals of 2002 and 2016 to Rathnure and Oulart-The Ballagh respectively, along with losses at the penultimate hurdle in 1996, 1997, 2009 and 2011.

They had flirted with relegation in 2013 when Oylegate-Glenbrien were pipped by one point in the last-chance saloon, but the trapdoor duly opened at the end of the 2017 campaign when Ferns St. Aidan’s won a tense shoot-out in Bellefield by 3-20 to 3-18.

Taking that 45-year history into full account, it’s fair to say that Cloughbawn have been excellent ambassadors for hurling, but they’re not the first traditional stronghold to experience such a major setback.

They will have noted that Buffers Alley and St. Anne’s both managed to return to Senior ranks at the first attempt after similar demotions in recent years, and it will be interesting to see if they can match that feat.

They have turned to two of the heroes of that memorable 1993 success, Larry Murphy and Jim Doyle, to steer their title bid, with the backroom team completed by club stalwart Ken Kennedy and physical trainer Gerry McQuaid.

A few factors ensured they were on high alert for Saturday’s opener, principally the realisation that near neighbours Rathgarogue-Cushinstown would have liked nothing better than to surprise their more seasoned opponents at this early stage of the year.

Then there was the absence of two of their big names, with Connal Flood ruled out long-term with his cruciate knee problem, while Colm ‘Squingy’ Kehoe was togged out but didn’t feature as he continues his battle to be fully match-fit.

It has been a frustrating few months for the talented dual performer who switched from the county football panel to the hurlers, only to be denied the opportunity to stake a claim for a place owing to injury.

The Cloughbawn game mightn’t have been as big a talking point as the six Senior outings, but it was still historic in some ways as they slowly but surely adjust to life in the Intermediate ranks.

One thought struck me as I watched this match, along with another two Sunday afternoon. There was a buzz around the grounds as spectators discussed the talking points from the other games as well as taking in the on-field action.

Sadly, this scene won’t be replicated for at least three months, and it’s a crying shame because without a vibrant club scene it is very difficult to produce county teams capable of outright success.

After providing plenty of weekend entertainment, our club sides are now back in cold storage before they even got into their stride.