Red wave rising in Duhallow

HEADY times in Kanturk.

The little town in north Cork is already in All-Ireland final mode, says GAA club secretary Francis Kenneally:

“We started the put up the banners and buntings over the weekend to show our support for Aidan Walsh and his uncle Jerome, who is a selector with the minors.”

Such connections are something of a double-edged sword for Kenneally.

“It is great for the club but because of the two connections, the demand for tickets is incredible. We have 34 tickets coming to the club but I’d say the demand is about five times that. It will be an interesting week ahead but that is all part and parcel of the build up to the All-Ireland finals.”

September Sundays are nothing new for the Cork footballers in recent seasons but the fact that Down have replaced Kerry in the opposition corner has led to an increased optimism amongst fans of Conor Counihan’s side.

“There is definitely bigger interest this year,” said Kenneally. “Maybe that is because Cork lost finals in recent years many people feel they are going to win on Sunday.”

Kenneally was an ever present for the championship campaign and pinpoints the season’s turning point.

“The day in Wexford Park, they made a few changes and, for me, that’s when they got back where they want to be.”

Cork’s form through the qualifiers may not have exciting many pundits but Kenneally isn’t worried.

“Playing four games in successive weekends was bound to take a lot out of the team. The break of a few weeks and the return to training is the ideal preparation for the final. But saying that, if they play poorly and win against Down, there wouldn’t be too many complaints down here.”

Having a club man in the first 15 is always going to whet the appetite. Kenneally isn’t surprised by Walsh’s progress. Walsh was a key man as the club captured their first Duhallow JFC title in 47 years, when defeating Rockchapel last season.

“Aidan was a standout player from underage. When he was nine, he was playing U12 and that trend continued as he worked up through the ranks.”

But it isn’t all big ball territory. Anthony Nash, Lorcán McLoughlin and Walsh have all represented the county in hurling and it’s a trend that Kenneally would like to see continued.

“We try to give hurling and football equal time. Trying to get that balance in a dual club is difficult and leads to strains and stresses across the board. But it is a good complaint to have. It is great though for any club to see their players on a county team – it gives the young lads something to aim for. Last season we had Lorcán and Anthony going to the boys national school once a week to train the young fellas. We hope to start again in the next few weeks.”

The aforementioned Nash echoes Kenneally, stressing the enjoyment everyone in the locality is knocking out of the preparations: “It’s a huge honour for Aidan himself and his family, obviously, but it’s also great for the town and the club to have a man so centrally involved in an All-Ireland senior football final.

“I think you can see from his displays that he doesn’t need any advice from me. He’s had a great season and hopefully Sunday will go well for him also. There are enough older lads on the team to advise him anyway.

“I’m thrilled that it’s all happening for him, particularly as he’s so young to be in such a central position on the team. Everybody around the town knows him well and he’s very popular, so people are delighted for him.”

Nash said he and his clubmates won’t be overdoing the celebrations if Cork win.

“There won’t be too many people left in Kanturk by Sunday, they’ll all be in Croke Park, but the club is still involved in the football championship here so we’ll be minding ourselves!

“We’ll enjoy seeing one of our own lads, it’s not something that happens to a small club like Kanturk that often. It’s great to see the footballers doing well and if they win, which please God they will, it’ll be a great reward for all the work they’ve put in under Conor (Counihan).”