Born winners Fitzgibbon and O’Flynn to the fore

IT isn’t often that you get two hugely talented born winners in the same club team at the same time, but in Charleville right now the list of stars on show goes much deeper than just a pair of match winners - however right at the top of the tree has to be new All-Star Darragh Fitzgibbon and team Captain Danny O’Flynn.

One, Fitzgibbon, is still just at the start of what will likely be a wonderful hurling career while the other, O’Flynn is far from done but more than likely well past half way in his hurling life. While both have been around the block, particularly this year the events of last Sunday will live long in the memory.

“I have never really been involved in anything like that before, it’s an incredible feeling,” Fitzgibbon stated at the full-time whistle.

“There was a 13-point swing there in the second-half today and we just knew that if we just got hold of the ball we could get back into it. Our game is based on running and we were not really doing that in the first-half, it was hard against the wind.

“We knew when we had it in the second-half it would make a difference and it did. We knew that we hadn’t played well at all, we were hitting long balls into their half-backs and it was coming out. We were not bringing the ball through the lines, something that we are good at.’’

Negative comments from outside the camp clearly annoyed Charleville’s players and became one of the driving forces for the Fitzgibbon and the Avondhu natives this years.

“A lot of the time throughout the year we would have been questioned about character. We met about twelve months ago below in our clubhouse. Kanturk had beaten us twice and I suppose we just had to look at ourselves and regroup as a group of players and a management.

“We just had to look at what was going on and you have to credit the players because that today sums up how much we have changed this year. We knew that we had that character, it was just a case of putting it on display. I suppose when you are winning things you grow as a bunch.”

Fitzgibbon’s year has been the thing of dreams and the star man is loving almost every minute of it.

“I suppose the most pleasing thing is just being involved with Cork and with the club. We have had ups and downs, being there or thereabouts, but when you get over the line it’s great.

“When I came back from Cork it was great to get back in with the Charleville lads. That is where it started for me, in the club and that’s where you finish your career with the lads that you grow up with. The most pleasing thing really is that we kept going and got our reward today.”

While Fitzgibbon is living the dream like the young talented man he is O’Flynn is enjoying the taste of success like a seasoned pro and is going to enjoy every minute of last week’s success and the challenge that awaits.

“I’m sure it will be a slow day tomorrow [Monday]. County celebrations were wild, but this is going to be even sweeter because it was gone from us at half-time” said O’Flynn.

“It is about resilience and character – nothing else. We were looking dead and buried at half-time. We were probably playing too much of their game, just chasing them around the place.

“The second half we said we would attack them a bit more. We have been in tough situations before this year in football and hurling. We just needed a bit of reassurance at half-time. They [Feakle] were an incredible team, by far the best we have played this year.

“We just kept getting it to five but could not bridge that gap. – Darragh Fitzgibbon

It is all a haze really. We got it down to four, then three and then got a goal. The next score is the important one.”

The captain was full of praise for his side and the confidence shown by all in red.

“Some of those lads have boxes full of medals at home. They are used to winning tight games. They have confidence. They are exceptionally successful. It is a testament to their confidence on their own ability.”

O’Flynn may have just collected the Munster crown and given the town of Charleville an unauthorised bank holiday Monday but he was already looking forward to the upcoming All Ireland series.

“It is going to be a great couple of months, looking forward to an All-Ireland semi-final. We were very envious of Kanturk last year. They beat us twice last year but we felt we weren’t a million miles away. We would like to emulate their success. And when all that is done, we will concentrate on senior hurling.”