WHEN Mark Cronin originally mapped out how his 2024 season would look, there were moments when he planned to hang up his football boots because life off the pitch was busier than ever.
In December 2023 he took over as Gabriel Rangers GAA Club Chairman and also got involved in coaching the U6s this year, but with great support at home, Mark togged out again – and it has proved to be the right decision.
Gabriels won promotion to Division 5 of the county football league and are now in the quarter-finals of the McCarthy Insurance Group Intermediate A Football Championship.
‘I’m still enjoying it,’ says veteran forward Mark, who at 38 is still showing he knows where the posts are – he kicked 0-11 in Gabriels’ group win against Dromtarriffe, their best performance of the championship.
‘There was talks of retirement earlier in the year and when I took on the chairman role I didn’t think I would be playing this year, but my wife Catherine encouraged me to keep going, to play when I am able. Or maybe she just wants the TV to herself on weeknights!
‘To be honest, I think the main reason I am still playing is because of my kids. It’s great to play a game and come off the pitch and get a hug from them; it’s probably why I played on for another year.’
Cillian (4) and Caoimhe (2) are Mark’s two biggest fans, and as they grow older they’ll be told tales of how their dad captained Gabriels to West Cork and Cork junior A football glory in 2016. And now they get to watch their dad in action too. Memories are being made.
‘If you lose a game, when you meet them after you forget about it, whereas in the past maybe you’d think about it too much. It’s the same when you win,’ he says, and the good days this season have outweighed the not-so-good. The hope is that this Sunday’s quarter-final against Mitchelstown in Páirc Uí Rinn (2pm) is one of the good days for Mike O’Brien’s team.
‘They are the favourites to win the county, and we always seem to play the favourites,’ Cronin notes.
‘In 2022 we lost to Kilshannig, 0-11 to 0-10, and they won the county. Last season we lost to Aghabullogue, 2-11 to 1-12, and they went on to win the county as well. We know Mitchelstown will be favourites but we’ll enjoy the challenge.
‘When we set our targets at the start of the year the main aim was to win promotion in the league and we achieved that, and also to get out of the group stage so here we are in the quarter-finals.’
Group wins against Kildorrery (2-10 to 1-9) and Dromtarriffe (1-16 to 0-13) meant Gabriels were already qualified for the knock-out stage before the final game against an Adrigole team that needed a result. The Beara club won, 0-10 to 1-5, to take top spot and a place in the semi-finals, leaving Gabriels to negotiate a challenging quarter-final.
‘We had a tough group. We knew Kildorrery would be good with Ephie Fitzgerald involved, and it was important for us to start off with a win. Our best performance was against Dromtarriffe – the whole team clicked, everything went right, and we played good football. The last time against Adrigole, we didn’t perform at all and we weren’t happy with that. Still, to come out of that group was a good achievement,’ says Cronin, who knows the last day out against Adrigole was a wake-up call.
‘We need to click again, and play like we did against Dromtarriffe,’ he explains.
‘They are a big side like Mitchelstown, we competed so well that day, our defence was very tight and the ball into the forwards was top class as well. Against strong opposition, you have to keep the ball and then work the ball fast. We have to play our running game. We have nothing to lose.’
It’s a big game in a big year for Gabriel Rangers as the club celebrates its 50th anniversary. This landmark was one of the reasons that Mark agreed to succeed Finbarr O’Brien as club chairman, to play his part in helping the club’s continued development. The good news is that Gabriels is making progress off the field, as well as on it.
‘We set up a gym for the first time ever in the club, and underage is going well too,’ Mark says.
‘We have U6, U7s and U8s, and could have well over 50 kids training on a Wednesday night. Seven or eight past players have got involved too, and that’s been great to see. That’s what it’s all about, giving back to the club,’ adds Mark, who hopes Sunday is one of those memorable days for the club. Another chance for Cillian and Caoimhe to watch their dad in action. Another chance for Gabriel Rangers to make headlines in this special year for the club.
