Spillane chasing the dream
FOR the fourth consecutive year Killian Spillane is heading to Croke Park for a major match (his fifth game in total) looking to win a third major medal to add the All-Ireland Minor and Junior titles he won there in 2014 and 2015 respectively in the county colours.
This time, however, it’s blue and white as opposed to green and gold he is donning and Spillane agrees the opportunity to win an All-Ireland title with the club would be up there with his father Tom and Uncles Pat and Mick winning Sam Maguire on the GAA’s most famous stage.
“It would be something immense for our generation of the family to win a title for the club in Croke Park, but we’re counting no chickens yet. We need only look at Kenmare going up there three years ago and losing to a very good team from Galway (Ballinasloe) to know that you’re guaranteed nothing when you reach the Final so we still have work to do,” Killian said ahead of Saturday afternoon’s All Ireland decider.
One advantage Spillane does see for the side is that with the vast majority of the squad away from the area during the week with college and work commitments that they are not being directly affected by the buzz about the biggest day in the club’s history.
In terms of the campaign itself, Spillane agrees that having to switch tactics from victory in the County Final over Glenbeigh/ Glencar and their first game in Munster against Bandon was a great sign of the team’s ability to change tack when needed.
“We were delighted with how we performed in the County Final even if Glenbeigh/Glencar probably didn’t turn up on the day. Bandon showed a different side to us though in that we had to cope with a very defensive set-up and be patient in trying to break them down.
“That served us well for both the John Mitchels and Curraha games as we were faced with a similar sort of situation in how they set up and how tested us physically as well at times,” he said of the road to GAA Headquarters on Sunday.
Spillane agrees that there will be an expectation on him as well as the other five players on the Templenoe starting 15 who have graced the Croke Park sod before to ‘show the ropes’ as it were in terms of what the club can expect when it arrives at the back of the Cusack Stand on Saturday afternoon but he downplays any sense of previous trips to the venue being a burden on him or his team-mates.
“Whether or not Croke Park suits our style of play you can only see on the day.
“St Marys being there as well will probably heighten people’s expectations of what we both might do on the day for the county but we can only focus on our end of things and we still have to stay focussed regardless of how others might think we will do.”
Diligent words for the Templenoe forward as the club’s most important game in its current history gets that bit nearer.
Although he was more a supporting act that an outright scorer against Curraha, Spillane will be expected to provide much of the ammunition for his side come throw-in in Croke Park on Saturday.
It would be something immense for our generation of the family to win a title for the club in Croke Park
– Killian Spillane