New Cual kid taking in success
THERE aren’t many, if any, Kerry men with Leinster hurling medals in GAA history but Darragh O’connell holds that distinction after Cuala’s breakthrough on Sunday.
Resident in the capital for a few years now, Abbeydorney native O’connell threw in his lot with Cuala last year, while also featuring for
Dublin, and has already picked up two county medals.
And on Sunday he chipped in with two points as they beat O’loughlin Gaels to become the first club from the capital to win the provincial hurling title in 37 years.
He said: “I’m playing with them over two years. It’s an incredible group of guys that have come together.
“The support, the club itself, a massive amount of credit has to go to absolutely everyone involved with this club because without those people and without the backing of so many people this would not be possible.
“I got great support from down home. I must say, my own club Abbeydorney, they understood at the time the sacrifices I was making up and down for the first couple of years when I was training with Cuala. I think Kerry people are hurling people and north Kerry people especially in Abbeydorney.
“There were so many of them in the stand [on Sunday], it was great to see.
“When I moved up first in 2012 I actually went in training with Cuala. I knew a couple of the lads, they invited me in, they were very good to me for the first couple of years when I was travelling up and down to Kerry, playing for Kerry.
“I was training away with them and I suppose it was a natural progression to go in with them playing with them. I’m just absolutely delighted I made that decision.”
O’connell has only tasted defeat once in a Championship game since joining Cuala - last year’s Leinster final against Oulart-the Ballagh, which acted as a motivational spur for the team throughout 2016.
“We didn’t want to talk about it but it was there in the back of your mind,” he revealed.
“I think I said it after the county final, it’s there, it’s something that you want to correct, I suppose, but you’ve got to take it one step at a time.
“Fair play to Mattie [Kenny], and all the management team, they have achieved that.”