Back-to-back titles would be so special, says Brosnan

IN the end they fell just short.

It was a madcap encounter when Nemo Rangers and Dr Crokes went toe-to-toe in the Munster club decider on an Arctic afternoon in Mallow last January.

Nemo Rangers bossed the first-half and Dr Crokes launched an improbable revival in the second-half that nearly enabled them catch their opponents.

Ultimately they were two points adrift at the finish. Eoin Brosnan trooped off the pitch that day in disappointment not knowing his herculean efforts in the preceding 60 minutes were about to change the course of his football career.

Jack O’Connor was there that day in Mallow too. What he saw in Brosnan’s power and endeavour left a mark. He then wanted Brosnan back in the county fold.

“I’d been away for two year, so when Jack contacted me in late January after the Nemo game, I had to take time to consider it,” recalled Brosnan.

“I needed to and see had I anything to offer. There were work commitments, family commitments with a young daughter at home. Then you have to consider would your body be up to it both physically and mentally. But I suppose I saw it as a challenge. So I went back.”

There was no greater challenge than the task of reinventing himself as an inter-county footballer. The rampaging goalscoring half forward would have to transform into a strong force at the heart of the Kerry defence.

“It was a challenge and there was freshness about taking on a new role for Kerry. It was always midfield and the forwards for me, it was only over the past couple of years I started playing centre-back now and again with the club. It’s still fairly new to me because I have only been playing there for the past couple of years. One part of the role that suits me is that you are facing a lot of the play and it went off pretty well overall.”

It may not have concluded on a joyous note but, overall, when he scans his mind back over 2011, the inter-county experience was a positive one.

“The lads are good craic in there and we got down to some hard training from the start. The league went well and we went to Portugal which is tough training but it’s enjoyable at the same time. You have four or five days away with the lads, training two or three times a day, living a professional life in effect. I suppose the freshness was there for me. Obviously we did not get over the line on the most important day, but it was pretty enjoyable.”

After that September dejection, he has found the club a welcome refuge. Dr Crokes’ campaign has been somewhat more congested this year. Last season their county men were back in harness from early August and their preparations flourished accordingly. In contrast, the retention of the title has seen them have to cope with a quick series of games.

“It was a slog for the club lads really this year. You could see fellows getting annoyed as a few county league results did not go the way we expected.

“I suppose you always feel that you have a responsibility to make up for lost time. It has been very sudden and rapid this year and we don’t have the time that we would have liked to prepare. But it’s the same for Mid Kerry because they have Darran [O’Sullivan] and Donnchadh Walsh coming back into their setup and clubs pulling their players as well, with Milltown/Castlemaine in the county intermediate final as well.

“The one thing about last year is that it was a medal we treasured. We won it in 2000, but if we hadn’t won last year it would have been three lost finals. At my age, you’d be starting to doubt yourself and wonder if we would ever get over the line again.

“Trying to put back-to-back titles together is a challenge we spoke about after the Nemo game. It’s a long time since any club side were successful back-to-back. It will be very special if we manage it.”