Behind the scenes at one of the oldest clubs in the GAA.
Dungourney is only a small village in east Cork, but their GAA club has been making a big impact in hurling circles in the past number of months.
Winners of the 1902 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and home to the great Jamesy Kelleher – a member of the Cork Hurling Team of the Century – Dungourney have their sights set on a date in Croke Park for the All-Ireland Junior Club hurling final next month.
To get there, they’ll have to overcome Kilkenny outfit Glenmore in the semi-final in Waterford on Sunday but spirits are high ahead of one of the biggest days in the club’s long and storied history.
#CountyChampions #EastCorkChampions #LeagueChampions #DunGuairneAbu pic.twitter.com/Sei0X8kQC7
— DungourneyGAA (@DungourneyGAA) November 4, 2015
We caught up with club PRO Timothy O’Sullivan for an insight into the men who’ll be representing the club this weekend and what life is like in the Dungourney dressing room.
Spotlight on Dungourney
Club name: Dungourney GAA
Club colours: Green with a gold sash
Year established: 1884
Estimated size of population covered by parish: 600 (the club represents only half a parish)
Proudest moment in the club’s history? All-Ireland Hurling Champions in 1902 and clubman Jamesy Kelleher being named on Cork Team of the Century.
#DunGuairneAbu #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/GjStVjTm3D
— DungourneyGAA (@DungourneyGAA) December 6, 2015
Most loyal/fanatical supporter? Cas Barry. Even the laces of that man’s shoes are green and gold.
***
Best nickname: Mark ‘The Silent Assassin’ Hegarty, perfect for a full-back.
Most likely player to be found on Tinder? Martin Hennessy, that man has blisters on his fingers from swiping right.
Most likely player to break a beer ban? A beer ban, what’s that? I think it’s fair to say some of the lads have taken to college lifestyle very well, particularly Colm Griffin. He doesn’t take kindly to poorly-organised Freshers’ outings though.
Dodgiest championship haircut (please describe): Bill Ahern. Just think of Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber.
Who’s the last guy off the pitch at training? Ryan Denny spends the most time practicing but Mike Hickey is probably the last man off the pitch; he just doesn’t have the pace anymore.
The team-mate you’d least like to take a hefty shoulder from: Paudie Harney. That man never stops training and has been known to demonstrate his feats of strength at any time of the day or night.
The team-mate the opposition would most like to give a hefty shoulder to: Jack Griffin, some mouth on him. Before him they used queue up to try hit Paul ‘Fancy’ Kelleher.
Oldest player to ever have played for the club: Kevin Kelleher must be nearly in his mid-40s now and he’s still playing. Does Donal Ahern standing in the corner for a league match count? He was well over 50.
Player with the longest distance to travel to training: It must be Martin Wall as it took him over an hour to get to training last week and he showed up just in time for the warm-down.
He used some feeble excuse about not knowing directions and his phone going dead. In his defence, he’s new to this driving craic.
Last guy you’d want to take a penalty in the last minute of a county final: James Leahy. I think he hasn’t actually hit a ball in any championship match this year.
It’s rumoured that he goes to the ball alley without a hurley just to practice hand-passing.
Player you’re most likely to mute in the club WhatsApp group: Is Dave Fitzmaurice a player? Kevin Rohan seems to have incriminating photos of nearly everyone on the panel so a few would like to see him removed.
Best ‘Junior B story’ involving your club: We once played a football championship game that was 0-1 to 0-0 at half time and finished 0-3 each.
A football goalie who shall remain nameless took a kick-out that returned past him and went out for a forty five. Fair play Eric… oops.
