*Gavin Cooney accepts the Jack Daly from Clare GAA Chairman, Kieran Keating. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FOR TWO years running, Gavin Cooney had the honour of walking up the steps of Cusack Park to lift the Jack Daly for Éire Óg.
Never before had Éire Óg claimed back to back titles but Ennis clubs in the guise of Ennis Dalcassians and Ennis Faughs had done so.
Moments after captaining his side to Clare SFC glory for the second year on the trot, Cooney’s thoughts were with his Éire Óg hurling teammates. “Last week this place was sombre, we had tears of sorrow, each and every one of us but today it’s tears of joy”.
Arguably the fan favourite of the side, Cooney was mobbed by children hunting for autographs. “It’s about inspiring the next generation, we want them to be Éire Óg footballers or hurlers but we want them to walk up them steps just like we did. To be honest I’m just collecting the Cup. The lads are an amazing group, a truly special bunch and we will do anything for each other”.
Self-belief and patience were key to their success, Gavin told The Clare Echo. “We knew we had to start well and get a score on the board. If we went behind it would have been hard because they would have had something to defend. We knew they would sit back and crowd out the space. They were always going to make it difficult but thankfully we are so solid at the back, it means we know that if we get a few scores we will be in a good place. We haven’t conceded a goal in two years so with that statistic you are always going to be in a good place come full time”.
On what is next, the Clare footballer reiterates the Paul Madden line of it being all about the next sixty minutes. “Last week was devastating but we knew we had to refocus for today. It’s all about the next game, the next challenge, the next sixty minutes. We will enjoy a few days celebrating but we let ourselves down last year in Munster. We have enormous potential so we have to try target Munster now. We’ve been here before and we will enjoy today but we will regroup and try give Munster a proper rattle”.
