Veteran O’Regan so focused

Sunday’s IFC final between Éire Óg and Castletownbere will be Alan O’Regan’s fifth time playing in a decider.

The Beara side lost in the 1997 and 1999 IFC finals after replays, as well as 2006 and last year after the grade was split in two. O’Regan, who should really have only played in four (“I came on and I shouldn’t have come on,” of the 1999 loss to Naomh Abán — he was recovering from a car crash shortly beforehand), admits maturity brings a realisation that chances must be taken.

“As you get older, you probably take things more seriously,” he said.

“There are fewer chances and you probably took things more for granted when you were younger. We were favourites last year against Kinsale and on the day they were the better side but we just didn’t perform.”

Castletownbere’s achievement in getting back to a final should not be overlooked, however, especially as they lost their first two matches in this year’s campaign, to Kanturk and neighbours Adrigole.

“We have shown a mental toughness especially as there are three or four of last year’s team unavailable. We have ridden our luck and been fortunate at times, but we have shown a good resolve too.”

That resolve was to the fore as Adrigole were overcome in the semi-final on a 0-12 to 0-6 scoreline. That game, the sides’ sixth meeting in the championship since 2008, doubled up as a Beara league final and in his speech, Castletownbere captain O’Regan told his opponents they were eager to get out of the grade so as not to have keep facing their rivals.

“To lose twice to Adrigole in the one year would have been tough to take,” he said. “The two sets of players are very familiar and there is a healthy rivalry, but we still hope to be in the upper grade next year.”

Adrigole will have a presence in the final, however, as the trophy is named after their former player John Lock O’Sullivan, who died in 2002.

As someone who won county U21 titles with O’Sullivan in 1996 and ’97, O’Regan would love to be able to lift the cup in his honour.

“That it’s named after John Lock makes it extra-special,” he said.

“I’d have known him since I was 10 years old, we grew up together. We played alongside each other on Beara teams and won the U21s together.

“This year is his 10-year anniversary so it would be great to win it, but you have to look at it as just another game. I’ve played so many matches over the last 26 years that I’ve learned that you have treat each game the same as the last.”