THIS was a year that Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas never wanted to end.
On both hurling and football fronts, the Castletownkenneigh club became the story of the Carbery junior championships as they took down several big guns on their way to TWO divisional junior A finals. Heady times for Mathúnas.
While the footballers came up short in the Carbery JAFC final against a seasoned Kilmacabea outfit, the hurlers reached their Promised Land – they won Mathúnas’ first Carbery JAHC title in 14 years after beating Ballinascarthy in the final replay, winning 1-14 to 1-12 in November.
In a run that featured an annihilation of 2023 champions Clonakilty, 2-22 to 0-12, this was a year where the Maws-Maws thoroughly deserved to raise the Flyer Nyhan Cup aloft by the end.
They only failed to win two games all year, against Ballinascarthy in the drawn Carbery final and their county quarter-final against Ballinora. That’s 11 wins out of 13 games in all competitions, including a 100 percent record in the Carbery Division 1 Hurling League which they also won.
‘It was a massive year,’ beamed selector Pat Lucey.
‘Starting off the year, we didn’t know where we were at. We had a new management in both football and hurling. We were trying to concentrate on the hurling at the start. Then as it moved on, the football kicked in.
‘We started off with a game away to Kilbree in the league back in March, always a tough place to go. We didn't ever seem to win over there and we won by two points (0-15 to 1-10) that day. I’d like to think we deserved it.
‘Even our first championship game against Clon, they have given us more hidings down through the years than anyone. On the back of a very good league, we didn’t know where we were until we played Clon. In fairness, we played really well that day. Usually when we take a lead, we seem to leave teams back into it and that day, for some reason, we just drove on and beat them well in the end.’
Mathúnas captain Jeremiah Hurley raises the Flyer Nyhan Cup.
That kickstarted their championship bid, and it went on both fronts – the hurlers won both group games to emerge as table-toppers, while the footballers won two of their three group games to also advance. Mathúnas proved that a club can do well in both codes despite having limited numbers and resources. They are certainly a club to be admired.
‘There is only a panel of 25 or 26 there and they are playing both codes. Injuries were a problem but thankfully when it came to the big games we had most of the lads right again,’ Lucey noted.
‘There was a mighty buzz around the place. Momentum is unbelievable as well. When you are doing well in one, it kind of kicks on the other one.
‘Other clubs will definitely be looking at us this year and saying “we’re every bit as good as them, if not better.” Hopefully other clubs will step up to the plate as well but we don’t want them to take our crown or anything like that!’ he laughed.
The younger generation in the area now have new heroes to look up to. The morning after Mathúnas beat Ballinascarthy in the Carbery JAHC final replay, the players visited the local national school in Coppeen. The kid got to meet, again, their heroes.
Man-of-the-match Caolan O’Donovan. Kevin O’Donovan. Patrick Crowley. Michael O’Sullivan, Jamie Lucey. Gearoid O’Donovan. The entire panel.
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna's selector Pat Lucey.
‘I think they (the kids) really look up to them. We met them down by the hall near our pitch one night and they were delighted,’ Lucey said.
‘To see the excitement on the young fellas’ faces, they all had their Mathúnas tops on, it was brilliant, especially to go to Coppeen school.
‘There were 11 of the starting 15 who went to school in Coppeen and it was great. A couple of the lads had kids there, selectors had kids there.
‘There are people there that you would meet and you’d only have small talk with them because you’d be rushing here and there and they’d be rushing. Now, they’d stop you up and talk about hurling and wish the lads well for big games. Even after winning the West Cork final, they’d always make time to come over and congratulate you. It shows it meant a lot to the community.’
In terms of memories, this year has been the best for the current squad. For the people in the area, the best in a long time.
‘It definitely was the best we had in the last 10 to 15 years,’ Lucey agreed.
‘The most pleasing thing about it is we have three or four older lads there and they mixed brilliantly with the younger lads. The young lads gave brilliant commitment. I think it has been a brilliant year.
‘When we played these semi-finals and finals, there were people back that were involved in the club before and had kind of gone away in tough times but when the buzz was back, they were back. Even when we got to the first round of the county over in Ovens, I’d say we outnumbered Ballinora three to one, which was absolutely massive. They were only five minutes up the road too. It obviously meant a lot to people.’
A week after conquering Carbery, Mathúnas’ amazing year was ended by Muskerry champions Ballinora in the county junior A hurling championship quarter-final. Nevertheless, the experience the team got in playing in the county series will drive them on even more in 2025.
‘It was a great challenge for us. If we had two weeks, we probably would have been better. I think the legs were taking its toll. The ground was heavy and obviously Ballinora were physically stronger than us,’ Lucey said.
‘They beat us well in the end but there was no way they were that much over us (2-18 to 0-12). They were four points up with 12 minutes to go and we missed two that would have brought it to two. That would have made it interesting to see how they would cope if it got so close but it didn’t pan out that way eventually.’
The plan for 2025 includes winning back-to-back Flyer Nyhans, but first they will enjoy this Christmas and the celebrations that includes. It’s important to celebrate the successes.
‘We saw what enjoyment the players got out of it and ourselves as selectors. The whole locality too. The team will be buzzing come January or February to get back up on the horse and drive on again. It would be brilliant to retain it. For such a small place, it would be massive. If we get our act together, we’ll be there or thereabouts again next year,’ Lucey added.
