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*Stephen Sheehan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
EIGHTEEN years after last tasting senior championship action, Kildysart commence a brand new chapter in their club’s history in Páirc Finne in Corofin this Friday evening.
Following an agonising series of heartbreaks including four final reverses in six seasons, they finally clinched a first intermediate crown since 2003 last October and with that monkey finally off their backs, Kildysart are relishing the opportunity to finally express themselves at senior level.
“We’re excited and really looking forward to it,” exclaimed David Butler who has stepped up to the manager’s role for 2023. It was difficult to keep coming back from those final defeats. And even though it has never been said but realistically it was kind of now or never for the group we always felt last year. It was a kind of unspoken word within the group so to finally get over the line the way we did against Cooraclare in the intermediate final was just almost a relief.
“You could see it when we went back to training that there was an extra pep in lads’ step as we have fellas there like Keith O’Connor, Brian Eyres and Kieran Leahy who have been on the road with this Kildysart side for a long, long time and have given so much to get us to this level. However, with the step up to senior, everything goes up another level too in terms of preparation and everything else but things have gone well so far,” Butler told The Clare Echo.
Indeed, Kildysart were essentially a senior side in all but name in recent seasons, having contested a first ever Cusack Cup last year along with winning the O’Gorman Cup in 2021. Carrying a wave of enthusiasm and momentum, Kildysart will be hoping to get a senior bounce just like St Breckan’s did when soaring to back-to-back Jack Daly Cup Semi-Finals in their first two seasons back in the top tier in 2020 and ’21 along with a similar surge from 2021 intermediate champions Corofin to contest last year’s penultimate senior stage.
“There is momentum and of course we’d love to be in that situation too but to be honest when we have such a tough start, it has just been Ennistymon, Ennistymon and Ennistymon in our minds since the draw was made,” the Kildysart manager admitted.
“Look, the boys are all motoring well and we’re just looking forward to it. We are in a tough group but I think in Clare you’re always going to be in a tough group regardless so we’re looking forward to Friday night and finally get going”.
It’s difficult to blame them for not wanting to peer beyond their first hurdle as being honest, outside of facing back-to-back champions Éire Óg, Kildysart couldn’t have asked for a tougher start as Ennistymon have been the side that have made the most strides in the county.
And due to the fact that they were beaten in last year’s final, Ennistymon will be determined to make amends and finally go that one significant leap further in 2023, an added hunger that means that they are unlikely to have any shred of complacency for their opening challenge this Friday.
“It’s probably the toughest start you could get seeing as they won the Cusack Cup only a few weeks ago and were in last year’s final. As well as that, even watching them in the Cusack Cup Final, they did so without their hurlers like David Fitz, Cathal Malone and Sean Rynne. Their underage record speaks for itself in the county and are consistently bringing new players through.
“They’ve just been on an upward curve these past few years so up against that, it’s all about performing for us on Friday and give as good a rattle as we can. And just focus on ourselves as that’s the one thing this group are very good at, concentrating on ourselves and trying to get to get the best out of ourselves”.
Kildysart
Management: David Butler (Manager); John O’Sullivan (Coach); Jacko Cleary, John Murtagh, Terry Murphy, Darragh Butler (Selectors); Kieran Connelly (Physio)
Captain: Keith O’Connor
Key Player: Emmet McMahon
One to Watch: Jack Cotter
Fresh Blood: None
Departure Gate: None
Titles Won: 1
Last season’s run: Intermediate Champions
Schedule
Round 1 – v Ennistymon at Corofin, Friday 7pm
Round 2 – v Cratloe (Weekend of August 19/20th)
Round 3 – v Lissycasey (Weekend of September 1st/2nd/3rd)
