BY SEÁN HOLLAND
WAS it worth the wait? Yes, it was! Clonakilty Soccer Club midfielder Shane Buttimer has endured a lot of tough days with the club, but last Sunday was one he’ll never forget.
The Clonakilty team captured the West Cork League Premier Division title for the first time in the club’s history. A tense 2-2 draw with Drinagh Rangers was enough to secure the league crown and add to their 2023/24 trophy cabinet that also boasts the Beamish Cup won last month.
‘It's been a long time coming for a lot of players, and a lot of management. It's just a really, really special feeling to finally win the league,’ Buttimer told this week’s Star Sport Podcast.
‘The emotions were fairly visible for anyone that was there. There was a big following, which is great to see for soccer, but there were a lot of tears, and a lot of emotion. It just probably makes that bit more special, the fact that it's been so long coming.
‘It was just a bit of relief, I'll be honest, but satisfaction as well. We were playing against a juggernaut of West Cork soccer in Drinagh. So the way it ended up and the way we ended up winning it was a very special way as well,’ he admitted.
Clonakilty have had their fair share of hardships in recent years, both in the cup and the league. Buttimer joked how their losses in the Beamish Cup drew comparisons to an NFL side who lost four Super Bowls in a row. Having got the cup final monkey off their backs, the league title was the next on the list.
‘We've had a lot of near misses over the last few years,’ he admitted.
‘I know it's very well documented that we lost three Beamish Cup finals in a row. The Buffalo Bills, a lot of people were calling us. So to win that one was amazing, but the league title, if you look in a bit more depth, there's been a lot of near misses as well over the last ten, 15 years and beyond even.
‘Across a 20-game season, you need everyone pulling together so it was great to get over the line.’
Speaking on what effect the league win will have for soccer in Clonakilty, Buttimer hopes that their achievement will help the club flourish into the future.
‘It was great to see a lot of young kids down at the game, and hopefully it's just going to help it grow. There are good underage structures here. You'd be just hoping that it'll go from strength to strength. Again, a lot of work goes into it, but hopefully, it can grow. This can only bring a positive to town and to the club moving forward,’ Buttimer added.
