This article is from page 71 of the 2008-01-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 71 JPG
SHANNON’S 19th Munster Senior Cup win last week against Highfield was not only their eighth in the last nine years but it was also an historic personal milestone for flanker Colm McMahon. For the Ardnacrusha na- tive, it was his tenth Munster Senior Cup medal in twelve years, a re- markable achievement in the modern game but he also feels quite fortunate to have actually reached that tally.
“It’s certainly an achievement to be very pleased with and I was de- lighted to be involved. It’s great to get ten medals and it’s something you never really think about but it just happened. After the event you think ‘Jesus, it’s a fair auld achieve- ment alright’ but I kind of only came out of retirement recently. I finished up playing at the end of last season and I said I would go back to play a bit of seconds and the firsts called me up there when there was a few inju- ries. That’s how I got involved so it was very fortunate that I was playing at all.”
To highlight what an accomplish- ment this actually was, it is interest- ing to note that only two other players have ever achieved this feat before — Jack O’Connor with Garryowen in the late 1800s and early 1900s and Shannon manager Mick Galwey. The significance of this is not lost on the Shannon and ex-Munster player.
“IT am absolutely proud of that fact and no disrespect to Jack O’Connor because his achievements stands for itself as he did it at a time when none
of us can really tell what the game was like. But just to be on a List with Mick Galwey is something to be very proud of.”
Colm won the first of his ten medals
in 1996 as an early replacement for Alan Quinlan in what was his first season with the senior team. He went on to win a total of eight medals that year from the Under 20s up, a unique
feat that has never been matched, but McMahon feels that this win will have little impact on their priorities for the season.
“It won’t really change things too
much. The team would have targeted the Munster Senior Cup and also would hope to go a long way in the All-Ireland League.
“IT suppose it shows that when we play well we can certainly compete in the competition. I wasn’t involved in the semi-final but it was a fantastic win over Cork Con. There was also a very good win over Garryowen in an earlier round so credit to all the guys involved. They did come up against some very good opposition on the way to winning it.”
Although this is McMahon’s 12th Season with Shannon, he 1s still only 31 and while the commitment involved has taken it’s toll on the Clareman, he is not totally ruling out another medal.
“I couldn’t really see myself get- ting an |lth because I would never have thought that I would win 10. As I said, I had decided that because of the commitment involved with the firsts, | wasn’t able to give anymore and I had 11 seasons done with them which I felt was enough. I don’t even know how much I will be involved with them for the rest of the year but I wouldn’t see myself being around next year to have a go at it.
‘Andrew Thompson keeps telling me that he has nine and he is look- ing to match it and even go ahead of the record. So he is telling me that I can’t give up or he is going to pass me out.”