This article is from page 91 of the 2009-11-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 91 JPG
THE biggest and most important day in the history of Spa GAA Club is about to dawn.
With the days, minutes and hours to Sunday’s Munster intermedi- ate football final in Mallow ticking away, it’s almost show-time for Sean Moynihan’s men who are now just 60 minutes away from their place in lo- cal football folklore.
Not only is this the first time that a team from the club has contested a provincial football final, but Spa are also the first East Kerry club to compete in a Munster intermediate decider.
Having watched Cratloe at first hand, Moynihan is aware of the task I OT-LMrEhY ECDL ACM OD CHESS LO (OR
“They looked impressive. They are a small bit like ourselves — a young team, lively, extremely fit and they wouldn’t have any stars but have a massive work-rate,’ says Moynihan.
“Cratloe look like a really good side. They use the ball very well. They actually seemed to play better against the wind than with it and, overall, I was impressed with what Sa
With no injury worries to report, Spa will look to their star duo of Mike ‘Stam’ O’Donoghue and Niall
O’ Mahony for scores, with the former being the main source of scores.
“The likes of Mike O’Donoghue and Niall O’ Mahony have got us over the line on numerous occasions but I have always stressed that we are very much a team effort,’ he adds.
‘There have been days when the two boys might have an off-day and that’s when Tomas Lynch could step up, or if he had an off-day, Conor Glesson or Cian Tobin or Pa Murphy or one of the other lads could step up to the plate.
“We will need an unbelievable ef- fort from all the lads on Sunday if we want to win the Munster title. It’s what we want. We know how close we are but there is a seriously hard game of football ahead of us. We have to match their intensity other- wise we will be in trouble.”
His team is on a high at the moment and the spirit is great, as Moynihan explains.
“There is a serious belief in our squad at the moment. The work-rate is there, the determination and a de- sire to achieve something special. There is a special spirit there.
“Even away from the football, they are all good friends. They head off out on the town together and just get os aer VORA oll E
“The camp is buzzing and I think
that will stand to us on Sunday. When you are representing your county wearing the Spa jersey, well, that’s the ultimate for these players. Focussing on the game is not a prob- one
“We are up against a team that put out the favourites so we have it all to do. This is very much like the Cur- row game (the county intermediate final) when we both went in with ht- tle to choose between us. Whoever performs on the day will take the trophy and that’s going to lend itself to a fantastic game.”
Interestingly, under Moynihan, Spa have never lost a final. A lucky omen ahead of Sunday, perhaps.
“We have played four finals since we took over as a management team and we haven’t lost one yet. Touch wood,” he says.
“We won back-to-back East Kerry leagues, we won the county interme- diate and we won Division Two (of the county football league) outright as well so that’s four trophies.
“We know how to win together and that will be invaluable in a big exh on