Time is now for Millstreet
Tomorrow, though, Millstreet take on St Finbarr’s in a first junior county final since 1963. Are they excited? You could say that.
“There’s a huge buzz in the town,” says club officer Sharon Lane.
“It’s a first since 1963, everyone’s looking forward to it. A number of the players on that team passed away only this year, but Tommy Burke, who played then, would still be active in the club.
“The one direct link is William O’Leary who was on the team. He was a former President of the club. He died only this year but his son (William) is a selector and trainer of the team, so there is that direct connection to 1963.”
There are other connections on the current team. Links to other bright days for the green and gold.
“Our last Duhallow title was 2003, and we reached the final back in 1992 as well,” says Lane.
“Six of the 2003 side are still on the panel, but we also have one current panellist from the 1992 team, believe it or not. Donal Cashman.”
Impressive.
When a small place tastes success, the excitement spreads quickly throughout the neighbourhood. Lane says since collecting silverware in Duhallow, momentum has been building steadily.
“We beat Knocknagree in the final by five points and since then the interest in the town has been phenomenal.
“Our first game in the county was against Glenbower Rangers, and it was a big thing for a lot of our players, to play that game in Páirc Uí Rinn, for the older players. And there were people at that game from the community that I wouldn’t have seen at games in a long time, if ever. We’re getting best wishes from people in the town — we held a fundraiser, a golf day, back in Killarney early in October and the buzz that day, the talk about the next game we were playing — there’s huge optimism and energy there in the club.”
That optimism and energy can find other outlets away from the playing field. As Lane puts it, the downturn has hit Millstreet as hard as anywhere else, but the team’s run to the county final has been a rising tide for many boats. The colours of the club are prominent in the town.
“The team’s success has certainly put people in good form — windows which would have been dormant for years have flags and posters in them, businesses around town are flying flags, there’s bunting on houses, the other sports clubs around are wishing us well. It’s given some life to the town.”
The benefits have been tangible as well.
Take the logistics of kitting out a team for a county final: the togs and socks for the big game have been sponsored by another organisation in the town: “They don’t want any publicity for that, which is fine, but it shows the goodwill we’ve been shown.
“We’ve had good wishes from the Millstreet coursing club, Millstreet Town Park, the national schools had a green and gold day yesterday and we visited those schools earlier in the week with the Duhallow Cup.
“All of that is giving the club a new momentum, one we wouldn’t have seen before. Even other clubs in the division have been wishing us well, and the fact Rockchapel have qualified for the intermediate final has only heightened interest in the area, and I’d say it’ll increase the crowd on the day as well.”
Lane also stresses the club’s intention to harness momentum and energy for success in the medium term as well.
“That’d be very important — we won two U21 titles in 2011 and 2012, and seven members of those panels are on the current team, and a lot of the panel wouldn’t have won anything with Millstreet over the years. You see the buzz at training, how keen they are to win, that’s spread through the community.”
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