No borders to Mitchelstown's progress

Having been on the staff of Mitchelstown CBS since 1982, Willie Duggan is well-placed to evaluate the various sides which have passed through the school in that time.

Last month, the north Cork school claimed the Eamonn O’Sullivan Cup (All-Ireland Colleges SCFC) title, beating St Mark’s of Warrenpoint in the final, earning them the Rebel Óg monthly award for April. While the student population isn’t huge, players from three counties featured and Duggan feels that the side can stand alongside any other.

“I would rate this team very highly,” he says.

“We had five players involved in the Munster minor football championship, two with Tipperary, two with Cork and one with Limerick. I think that’s the sign of a good team, I knew that at the beginning of the year.

“I said it to the captain, Colin English, that, with that panel of players we had, we’d go places — because of their talent and their attitude. Their enthusiasm was infectious and it rubbed off on me. At times, it can be hard enough to motivate yourself in September and get back training a team, but seeing the enthusiasm of these boys made my job easier.

“They were pushing me rather than I pushing them and that’s a lovely way to be.” The captain, English — one of those five county minors — who points to a sustained level of performance over the past few years.

“We would have been successful since we came into school,” he said.

“We won a county U14 football in first year and we won at U16 as well.

“As soon as we got near the final stages of the Munster, you could sense that we weren’t going to be going away without any silverware this year.

“We met Lisdoonvarna in the Munster semi-final and they were a really tough team.

“To meet a team that good and get over it, we were thrilled. That boosted us on a bit.” And there were never any problems with players from Cork, Limerick and Tipperary gelling together.

“It’s a small school, it’s a tight school, everybody knows each other really well. It’s strange alright when you’re explaining to people about the three different counties but everybody gets on great.

“We had always said it since the start of the year, that the team was capable of winning an All-Ireland.” For Duggan, the success provides a template from which to work in future.

“Again, if their attitude is right and they motivate themselves right and organise themselves right, and be disciplined,’ he said.

“It can be hard enough in this era we’re in, but if people do put in the effort, the facilities are there to achieve success. It comes down to attitude.”