West awake with town and country rivalry

There’s a perception abroad that the powerbase of Limerick football is towards the west.

It’s a fallacy. If anything, Limerick football was traditionally based in the city.

In 1887 Commercials won the first county championship (they then went on to win the first ever football All-Ireland title) and though they won the last of their 16 titles in 1927 and are now gone, they still top the order of merit. Next in line with 14 titles is another city side, Claughaun, and after them comes Treaty Sarsfields on 12, yet again from the city.

Only then do you begin to see the teams from the west, Fr Casey’s (Abbeyfeale) and Glin on eight and seven crowns respectively – hardly a record of dominance!

Nevertheless tomorrow’s Limerick senior football final is a derby between two teams from the western division, Newcastle West and Dromcollogher-Broadford, even if both are edging towards the centre of the county and both were also once traditional hurling strongholds.

Newcastle West in particular were among hurling’s elite, won two Limerick senior titles (1917 and 1925) and lost five others, all before 1932, while Dromcollogher lost their lone attempt, in 1964, but campaigned more successfully at junior and intermediate level.

Now all is changed, football the dominant code. Inspired by county stars Seanie Buckley, Tom McLoughlin, Gareth Noonan, Michael Reidy, Tommy Stack and Jason Stokes, in the last decade Drom-Broadford in particular have been to the fore claiming Limerick senior football honours in 2001, 03, 04, 08 and 09 and were Munster kingpins in 2008.

Newcastle West too have been winning county senior football titles, matching their hurling total with wins in 1987 and 1992. Lately however they have again been knocking hard on the door, beaten in the final by Drom-Broadford after a replay in 2004, beaten again in the final last year, by Monaleen.

Against that backdrop then, who better to discuss tomorrow’s game and the rivalry between the teams than current Newcastle West resident and former Drom-Broadford player and coach John Brudair. “We all (from Drom-Broadford) socialised in Newcastle West growing up so there wasn’t any real bitterness there but when we played each other it was always very much a case of the country boys taking on the townies, there was always a bit of extra spice in that game. Newcastle West always had great underage teams, it was just a case of whether or not they’d stay at it when they reached adult age. In a town you’ll get that kind of fall-off, not as tight-knit as country teams, though they still have very strong GAA families in the town driving things on.”

That’s really the age-old difference between town and country, that fall-off, with towns traditionally offering much greater variety and thus much greater temptation than rural parishes. When a town does get its act together, however, as Newcastle West now seem to have done, then it can very quickly become a force.

“Newcastle West has had minor success on and off for the last six or seven years and if enough of those lads stay with it you have the basis of a good team – they’ve done that. Throw in a few special players and things start to happen. Stephen Kelly (Limerick senior player) seems to be a major driving-force for them for the last few years and when you have a major player like that being seen to put in so much, others will follow.”

Newcastle West are a coming team then but are Drom-Broadford a fading force? Perhaps, admits Brudair, who these days is coaching the successful Charleville hurling team where the family also has a business base (Brudair’s shop and confectionary).

“Recent form would suggest that. Newcastle West have beaten us in our last three championship meetings but taken over the last decade we’d be considered one of the stronger teams around. The majority of the great team of the last few years is still there, maybe four or five newcomers, but even at that a few of lads are still there on the bench, ready and willing to come on with some coming back from injury.

“Now though it’s simply a case of who gets it right on the night and the lads have been going very well lately, in games and in training. They are a very talented group of footballers who are also very committed. While you have that you have to make the most of it; how long it will last, you never know, but you must make hay while the sun shines. After losing to Newcastle West the last few occasions, Drom-Broadford will be looking to set that record straight and no better place to do it than in the county final, that’s the one you’ll be remembered for!”