‘We’re carrying the mantle of Cork’
Sarsfields have greater experience in the hurling equivalent, Féile na nGael, with their participation in this year’s instalment in Dublin in early Jul marking the fifth time they have featured in it.
The sense of excitement in both camps, joint winners of the Rebel Óg award for May in association with the Irish Examiner, is palpable.
“It’s our first time and has given the club members a huge boost,” says Ballincollig underage chairman Seamus O’Callaghan.
“This team was probably picked out as one who had a strong chance. But there was nothing in the final and we had some luck.
“The Féile is a great way of selling Gaelic games and is very beneficial to young people. I was at a Féile in Donegal a couple of years ago when a nephew of mine was playing in it from Kilmacabea. It was a massive festival and a lot of the kids build great relationships with the host clubs. It’s great from that point of view.”
“Going outside the county is going to be a big thrill for us,” remarksSarsfields underage chairman Marty Fleming. “Playing teams from other counties is a great novelty and we’re carrying the mantle of both Cork and Sarsfields.
“We have experience in it from 1993 when we were in Galway and 1995 in Newcastlewest in Limerick. In 1997 we were beaten in the final by Tullaroan but in 2000 we won the competition in Portaferry in Down. We also won the Féile B competition when it was held in Cork in 2006.”
Ballincollig had to earn their domestic triumph, requiring a replay before they got the better of Glanmire, the sister club of Sarsfields.
“The first game was an epic encounter,” recalls O’Callaghan.
“They were 2-2 to 0-0 ahead after 10 minutes but by half-time we were almost level before it ended level. The replay was held in Mahon, we were up 1-7 to 0-0 at half-time and then we got a goal straight after the break. We thought we were home and dry but Glanmire came back and got some fantastic scores to draw level.
“We were fortunate that our substitute Darren Murphy got a great point to win it.”
Sarsfields’ success arrived on May Bank Holiday with a narrow one-point win in a frenetic and brilliant decider against Na Piarsaigh in Ballinlough.
“It was certainly a thrilling game,” agrees Fleming. “We’re delighted with it as we thought we had a good chance after winning the U13 county last year.
“We’re putting a lot of effort into the development of players in our nursery section and getting them to enjoy their hurling. This is a reward for that.”
After claiming the silverware locally, the next task for both Ballincollig and Sarsfields is to prepare properly for their trips to the national finals. This requires an investment of time and needs money to be generated. “It will cost us €6,000 to €7,000 to appear at Féile,” outlines O’Callaghan. “We’ve a number of fundraising activities, a golf society that are very good, a Belle of Ballincollig festival and a separate night for the youth development in the dog track on Jun 16. But if you do the work, you’ll get the support and it is a very worthy cause. We’ve been very busy fundraising,” reveals Fleming. “We raised €2,000 in supermarket bag-packing and about the same at a table quiz recently.
“It’s going to cost about €10,000 to get the squad to Dublin. But a lot of people are putting their shoulder to the wheel in the club.
“All the parents have got behind it and we’re very grateful to them.
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