First league success propelled Cloughduv to new heights

Until just over a year ago, silverware had proven elusive for the current Cloughduv U16 hurling side.

When they claimed the Rebel Óg East division U15 final, few could have known just what a change in fortunes it would effect — 2014 saw them bring in a haul of four trophies, which helped them to win the last Rebel Óg award of the year.

Victories in both league and championship at East and county level made for a bumper year. Selector Martin Walsh believes that that first win was vital in terms of creating momentum, but even he expresses surprise at just how successful they were.

“At the end of last year, they won the U15 eastern league,” he said.

“We knew that they were quite a good team and they’d been progressing with a year or two.

“We got in a new coach, Jon Darby, he had been with other teams and in the Cork set-up for a while so he brought in an extra dimension in terms of coaching and just a freshness.

“We could see a leap in standards, starting with that league win as it was their first silverware, they had been knocking on the door for a while before that.

“They got some good results in the league this year, we knew that there might be a possibility of winning something.

“We knew that there was potential, but you’d never think that you might win four.”

Once you pick up the winning habit, though, it’s difficult to shake off.

“It gave them the confidence to plough on,” Walsh said.

“Even when they were down in one or two matches, they knew that they had been there before and would be able to pull through.

“We played St Catherine’s three times during the year and they were all tough games. In the first one, the eastern league final, we went down by five points early in the second half but won by 10. That gave the lads a lot of encouragement and helped them later on in the campaign.”

Cloughduv’s complex is one of the best in the county and the availability of pitches is a big help, according to underage chairman Gabriel McNabola.

It also makes life easier in terms of dealing with football clubs Canovee, Kilmurry and Aghinagh, across whom the Cloughduv hurlers are dispersed.

“Obviously, we’ve three pitches, which is great for training,” he said, “you can plan to train on a given night and know that it won’t be moved.

“It suits facilitating all age groups and then helps with the football clubs too.

“We work very well with them, because they’re in the same boat. Once we keep the lines of communication open, it all works well.”

Maintaining the success is the immediate plan, but of course there is also a long-term aim too.

“The hope would be that we’d develop the players so that when they reach 21, they’ll help to move the club on up to intermediate,” McNabola said.

“It’s where we should be.”