Clubs vital to county glory
IN addressing JP McManus’ €3.2 million donation to the clubs of Ireland last week, I probably received the biggest reaction to any column I’ve ever written. His gesture clearly struck a chord with people all over the country.
So many clubs and people appreciated it for what it was – helping to put the focus back on the grassroots, from where the county game originates. It, shows that the GAA hinges on being a community-based organisation.
The gesture meant everything, especially for clubs who feel forgotten about in a lot of cases and those that are struggling just to keep going.
I don’t blame county boards for being caught up at times in everything attached to the inter-county game. So much of the time of the main officers is taken up with all that goes with running a senior team and the massive operation behind it all. I look at Offaly at the moment and the time gone into getting managers in place. John Maughan has come in to take over the senior football team while hurling boss Kevin Martin’s plan for the season ahead is still being finalised, with talk of changes afoot.
It’s a different world to 20 years ago when it was just simple stuff that needed to be organised and covered – such as expenses and a bit of grub after training.
And remember, 20 years ago, Offaly were All-Ireland champions. It was an incredible year in the way it panned out. Between Babs Keating’s departure, the semi-final trilogy against Clare, turning the tables on Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final – it was just a magic campaign for Offaly hurling.
The anniversary of that win – September 13 – was well remarked upon last month and with the county’s showpiece senior final taking place this afternoon, there has been much reflection locally as regards where Offaly hurling is at, particularly with some familiar characters involved.
Stephen Byrne was our goalie in ’98 – he is managing Kilcormac-Killoughey – and had a lot to live up to, following in the illustrious footsteps of Damien Martin and Jim Troy. And who will ever forget the three saves he made in the second replay against Clare in Thurles? He has been involved in training teams in Offaly since.
Then you have Joachim Kelly who is managing opponents Coolderry. Kelly is a legendary figure from the All-Ireland winning teams of 1981 and ’85, he’s almost 63 years old. Yet he retains that unlimited enthusiasm.
Coolderry have been absolutely brilliant in reaching this stage with a team that has five starters in their mid-30s, including Brian Carroll who has been rolling back the years. This is a club that has won 30 county championships, they’re top of the pile.
I was chatting to Joachim during the week and he admitted: ‘I didn’t think I wanted to get back into it.’ He has since found he loves it as much as ever. As we saw with Mary Immaculate College winning a Fitzgibbon Cup under Éamonn Cregan, there will always be a place in the game for guys with such extensive knowledge.
Coolderry is a small community. They’ve shown that if you have the desire, the passion, the love of place, you can go a long way.
The parallel between now and 20 years ago is that when Offaly were going well, there was very little club activity. You might play a match or two in April but nothing then afterwards. It was a tight squad and there was always the risk of injury. There was a certain amount of grumbling then, which can be heard around a lot of counties today as the county scene has expanded.
Back then, Offaly had a ferocious club championship. Birr were of a such a standard as to win four All-Irelands and seven Leinsters. Seir Kieran, with roughly 300 people in the parish in south Offaly, came along and won four county championships, the last one in ’98 – all the Dooleys featured on that team, along with Kevin Kinahan as well. They beat my club, St Rynagh’s in the four finals. We were also going strong at the time and often had the upper hand on Birr, beating them in the ’98 semi-final. I met Seán Dooley, may he rest in peace, father of Joe and Johnny and Billy, in the build-up. I remember him saying, ‘go ahead and beat Birr for us’. Which we did. And then they beat us in the final. I often smile at the memory of it.
How has Offaly hurling declined since then, is the big question.
The standard in the clubs was very high; it was the same in the schools, too. That was enough. Why did that model break? And can we put it back together again?
Trying to follow the national model of development squads hasn’t worked for Offaly. The proof is there. There are only eight secondary schools in the county.
I would use the schools as the platform. If you had a full-time coach in every secondary school in Offaly linking in with the clubs – that’s eight coaches. Compared to only three at present.
To me, that’s the model to follow.
The club championship in Offaly was ferocious 20 years ago