BY SEÁN HOLLAND
FOR Michael Hurley and Castlehaven, their latest Cork Premier Senior Football title win was more than just a title defence, it was a statement of resilience, growth, and an ambition for more.
After an impressive victory over St Finbarrs in the semi-final, Hurley who has struggled all year with injuries, admitted that his own performance wasn’t up to his personal standards. ‘I think we were comfortable enough against a really strong team,’ Hurley said. ‘But on a personal note, I wasn't happy with my own performance. So I did a bit of a review and I learned a few things. But look, obviously I didn’t have much game time under my belt either. That 40 minutes in the Barrs game has stuck with me.’
He threw everything into his preparation for the final against Nemo Rangers, where he played a huge part, kicking four points in the victory. ‘So thankfully whatever I did to prepare, it must have worked,’ he added.
Castlehaven’s title-clinching win didn’t come easy. Trailing 0-8 to 0-7 at halftime, Hurley described the scene in the dressing room as calm and focused. ‘Nemo threw everything at us in the first half, but the mood in the dressing room was very calm and relaxed. The lads just gave us a few messages. We knew if we got the first few points in the second half, Nemo would have to come out and play,’ he explained.
That composure, combined with the team’s depth, made all the difference. ‘Our bench has been a really big strength of ours all year. We knew we had players coming off the bench to make a real big impact and that’s what helped get us over the line.’
For Hurley, this second consecutive title (his third in total), brought a different sense of accomplishment compared to last year’s breakthrough victory. Last season, the title ended a 10-year drought and brought a wave of relief to Castlehaven. ‘I think last year the overall feeling was obviously a bit of relief. It was amazingly special,’ he said. But this year, the win felt like a validation of their hard work and consistency. ‘There was a bit of pressure on us this year. We were favourites since maybe round two. So it’s sweet in the way that we were able to block out all the noise about us,’ Hurley reflected. ‘It’s definitely a little bit different, but they don’t really get less enjoyable, I’ll put it that way.’
Michael Hurley scored 0-4 in the final against Nemo Rangers
Now, with the County title secured, Hurley and Castlehaven’s eyes turn to the Munster Club Championship, where they’ll face a formidable opponent in Kerry’s Dr. Crokes. Hurley credits Castlehaven’s determination not only to experienced leaders but also to the younger players in the squad. ‘We have some amazing stalwarts like, Mark, Damien, and Brian, who obviously are standard bearers of that. But a lot of the drive actually comes for our younger fellas as well. They’re so driven. They already have two county medals and a Munster medal in their back pockets. But that's where it comes from. It's just the youth, they're really driven. They just want to win. They just want to learn.’
As they prepare for Dr. Crokes, Hurley remains grounded. ‘We probably won’t look too far past them, because they’ll possibly be favourites against us. Look, hopefully, if we get over them, we can think further down the track, but for the moment, it’s all eyes on Crokes.’
