Cork Premier IHC: Spillane brother aim to follow Dad’s footsteps to senior ranks

Anthony Spillane, captain, Castlelyons in action against Courcey Rovers defender Kevin Collins in the county semi-final win. Picture: Larry Cummins.

There is a picture hanging in the Spillane house of the three boys from the afternoon of the 1998 Cork intermediate hurling final.

With their dad, Mick, captaining Castlelyons that day, Anthony, Colm, and Michael - then aged three, five, and six respectively - were enlisted as team mascots.

The picture shows the three brothers standing innocently on the Páirc Uí Chaoimh sod, fully decked out in Castlelyons gear. The faded green and gold jerseys are far too big for them, particularly in the case of young Anthony who remembers next to nothing of the occasion.

“I am told we went around behind the pipe band beforehand,” he says of their mascot duties.

Castlelyons Mascots Michael Spillane, Colm Spillane and Anthony Spillane at the Cork IHC final in 1998. Over two decades later, the brothers look to follow their father's footsteps and play senior hurling for their club. Picture: Dan Linehan

Castlelyons shaded Killeagh in the final, Mick Spillane hoisting the county cup as every Castlelyons man, woman, and child celebrated their ascension to senior hurling. The win crowned a glorious decade for the club, Castlelyons rising from Junior B status to the top table of Cork hurling in the space of seven years.

This evening at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the current crop of Castlelyons hurlers will seek to emulate the class of ‘98 and return the club to the senior ranks. And as was the case 22 years ago, Castlelyons will be led out by a Spillane.

How dearly Anthony would like to follow in the footsteps of his father.

“It would be great, and that is the goal,” says the 25-year old.

“Dad was at the other end of his career when he captained them, he was maybe 38 or 39. 1998 was the last time we won a county. We came back down from senior in 2009 and haven’t gone up or down since.”

Anthony and his brother Colm were part of the starting team which contested - unsuccessfully, at that - the 2013 premier intermediate decider. But in between that campaign and the one drawing to a conclusion this evening, Castlelyons continually “flattered to deceive”.

After 2013, we thought we'd be there every year. But we only won a few games, in total.

“This year, we have a couple back from injury and a couple back from Dublin because of Covid. It has suited us that the club season is split from the inter-county given we always have a few involved with Cork. In previous years, Colm and Niall [O’Leary] would have been away the whole time and then back for one challenge game before championship, whereas this year we had them for five or six consecutive games leading up to championship. It has added hugely to the panel.

“When we are training, we have 35 or 36 there. It is brilliant. There has never been as many down below. A few years ago, we'd be lucky if we were getting 15 or 16.”

Colm’s switch from defence to attack means half of the Castlelyons front six is made up of one household. A quick tot of their scoring contributions shows the three bothers have accounted for 5-46, or 58%, of Castlelyons' 8-81 championship total.

“Colm going to centre-forward has worked,” Anthony continues. “Now, in the early challenge games this summer, he'd probably tell you himself he didn't think he'd be left up there as things weren't going great.”

The St Colman’s Fermoy PE and History teacher already boasts a county senior medal from his involvement at half-forward on last year’s Imokilly team. He missed the division’s successful 2017 and 2018 campaigns because of a pubic symphysis injury which sidelined him for up to 18 months and threatened to potentially derail his playing career but for the capable hands of former Meath footballer Gerry McEntee who carried out the surgical procedure commonly referred to as Gilmore's Groin.

It would mean everything to win with my club. It would definitely be a more special one to win. These are lads I grew up with, went to school with. We are there on merit and we'll give it a right go.

Paths to the final

Blarney 4-20 Carrigaline 1-12 (semi-final).

Blarney 3-14 Ballincollig 1-19 (quarter-final).

Blarney 2-23 Blackrock 1-13 (group).

Blarney 1-14 Castlelyons 1-20 (group).

Blarney 1-23 Inniscarra 0-12 (group).

Castlelyons 1-23 Courcey Rovers 1-17 (semi-final).

Castlelyons bye to semi-final.

Castlelyons 3-18 Inniscarra 1-21 (group).

Castlelyons 1-20 Blarney 1-14 (group).

Castlelyons 3-20 Blackrock 0-14 (group).