Hurling still tops for us, says Mills boss O’Brien
Mills’ boss Michael O’Brien explained their passage: “It was only when the hurlers were knocked out of the title race back in August that any thought of the big ball game was entertained.
“We are primarily a hurling club, and up to a couple of years ago there was little or no football in east Clare.
“It was only in the last half-a- dozen years we have made any impression with football.
“We won a minor C Champion-ship in 2004 as well as a junior B title, and our present team has sprung from those successes.
“Because of our commitment to hurling, we only turn our attention to football when we lose in the county championship.
“It would be fair to say football wouldn’t function in the club if we were more successful in hurling.
“The last time we won the county hurling title was back in 1937 while our last appearance in the final was in 1992.
“Despite our poor record and even if we were to win the Munster junior football title on Sunday, hurling will always be number one.
“Anyone who would try and change that would be quickly put back in his box.”
The Mills football story is all too familiar. Beaten in the opening round of the Clare Championship, they then set off on an incredible run of success. Kildysart were beaten in the county final before accounting for Ferrybank (Waterford) and Moycarkey Borris (Tipperary).
“It’s amazing what a championship victory can do for a group of players. We got the rub of the green along the way and here we are now, just an hour away from a Munster title. You’d have to pinch ourselves to make sure it is all true.
“When you consider our background and where we are coming from it’s a fantastic achievement for us to be in the final.
“To be perfectly honest we are still a bit off the top flight and we are going to find it very hard going at intermediate level in Clare next year.
“That’s for another day right now. All our thoughts are on Sunday’s final. While our panel is small, the players are totally committed.
“We have prepared well and we are certainly not going to Askeaton on Sunday just to fulfil the fixture. We are going to win, have no doubt about that.
“I don’t know too much about our opponents, but I saw in the Irish Examiner where they beat Keel in their semi-final after being nine points behind, and any team that does that to a Kerry team, have to be respected.
“They have a couple of very good players who have won Munster and All-Ireland junior medals with Cork. Pat Dunlea is one player that stands out for them.
“I saw him score seven points for Cork against Clare in this year’s Munster junior championship.
“He’s a player good enough to be playing senior.
“We have nothing like him. None of our players have never played with the county. Football coaching up through the grades in the club has not been great because of the hurling, but what we lack in that area, we more than make up for with our commitment.
“Canovee will know they are in a final and they’ll have to be at their very best to get the better of us. It would be a tremendous achievement if we were to win it.
“Tulla won the county title this year and our hurling would be on a par with them if slightly better.
“A rising tide lifts all boats they say, and a win on Sunday could just be the tonic the club needs to get back to the top.”
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