Cats’ hurling royalty driving the ’Vat to historic football final
MANY would have envisaged that a Kilkenny club would still be on the provincial glory trail in the second week of December, but few, if any, could have predicted that it would be concerning football.
Football is a poor relation to hurling on Noreside but Mullinavat have shown what can be achieved when attention is solely focussed on the big ball en route to the Leinster intermediate club final.
Comprised entirely of their senior hurling squad – except for defender and Tyrone native Shane Kelly – the ’Vat have taken all before them in Leinster.
They were massive underdogs along the way – understandable considering Kilkenny is the only county not represented in the football league or All-Ireland championship – and will be again today in Drogheda when they face Louth heavyweights Mattock Rangers.
Having exited the Kilkenny SHC after a replayed quarter-final defeat to O’Loughlin Gaels, Mullinavat manager Michael Aylward spotted an opportunity to make the most of their football campaign and brought Aidan O’Brien into the fold.
Aylward is a one-man band in terms of football in the ’Vat but he brought the former Wexford boss – who coached many of the squad in
Good Counsel, New Ross – in for a training session and six weeks later, they find themselves on the brink of claiming silverware.
Achievement
The achievement of becoming the first Kilkenny side to contest a Leinster club football final is made all the more noteworthy by the presence of hurling royalty with the name Fennelly to the forefront.
Liam Fennelly thought he might end up following the fortunes of his native Ballyhale Shamrocks in the Leinster club SHC this winter, but he never guessed that football would also be keeping him busy.
Fennelly – who captained Kilkenny to two All-Ireland SHC titles (1983 and ’92) – has resided in Mullinavat since the early 1980s with only a ditch separating his house from Ballyhale with his sons Joe (fullback), Jamie (full-forward) and Liam Jnr (sub) to the fore for the ’Vat.
“I didn’t foresee a situation where I’d be going to a Leinster football final supporting my sons but I don’t think anyone else in Kilkenny did,” Fennelly said.
“They wouldn’t have touched a football, even throughout our own championship. There would be very few nights of football training, it would be hurling training and they might throw in a ball or whatever.
“It’s all about enjoying themselves and having the bit of craic, that’s exactly what they’re doing in this championship, they’re having a bit of fun and loving every second of it.”
Fennelly doesn’t expect Kilkenny’s currency to change despite their remarkable rise, however,
“It’d be great to say it will, but it won’t. This has made the winter very short and everyone is in good form, it’s unusual and I suppose people are excited about it, but that’ll pass fairly quick,” Fennelly said.
“There’s only one religion in Kilkenny. The lads can take football to a different level if they want to themselves but when push comes to shove, hurling is number one, two, three, four and five.”