Moloney in positive mood

Diarmuid Sheehan spoke with Charleville manager John Moloney ahead Sunday’s much anticipated Munster club final

CHARLEVILLE hurling manager John Moloney has seen most of it before, but the enthusiasm is still there for the fight as he guides his side into the Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Final this weekend in Limerick.

Having watched most of his charges growing up over the years the head tactician has been involved in one team of another of the club for all of seventeen years.

This Sunday things will be a lot different. After securing a place in the Senior County Championship for next year, the boys in red and white pushed on to a provincial final, their second in seven years, and now are just 60-65 minutes away from being crowned Munster Champions.

“You have to go in with a certain level of confidence in your own ability and we have that. The lads have done everything that was asked of them and more. They are a great bunch of lads and we couldn’t be happier for them.

“We started out the year with our focus clearly on the county championship but that is all gone now. After beating Lixnaw the last day we are now most definitely in a different competition.”

With Moloney spending almost 20 years with some of the Charleville players and the entire hurling lives of many others it is fair to say that the manager is in the perfect position to rate what his side will bring to the table.

“Getting to the final is another great honour for the club and the tow. The players have had good and bad days over the years from Under 12 to Under 16 and beyond. The sign of great players, regardless of age, is how they react to the bad days and our lads have shown maturity beyond their years all the way through their short hurling careers.

“We will have nine or ten Under 21s starting this weekend so that gives you an idea of how young this side are but to be fair that seems to be the way all sides are going now.

“It really has become a young-man’s game and lucky for us we have plenty of those now. Teams are all focussed on students be they school or college – it is not a game for the old timers anymore.”

One player will always grab the attention when looking at Charleville and Moloney believes that all the hype is more than justified.

“Darragh [Fitzgibbon] is a wonderful player and deserves what he got this year. We knew when he was growing up that he would be a star and he has proved us all right. It is a great honour for the club to have a player like Darragh with us and to have an all Star in our team is fantastic.

“Darragh always does his best for Cork and for Charleville and hopefully he will be able to do it again this weekend.”

While Moloney is confident that his side can do the business this weekend he and his charges won’t be taking anything for

Darragh is a wonderful player and deserves what he got this year. We knew when he was growing up he would be a star

granted – especially with the difficulties that the weather may bring.

“The weather could play a big part this weekend. A good day would probably suit us but it is the end of the year now so you will have to take what you get. We are confident, we have come a long way and are really up for this one.

“The lads have played really well in the last few games and we will hope for more of the same the next day. We are in with a real shot and hopefully we can get over the line.”