Buggy loving his second coming with St. Mullins hurlers 

By John Harrington

You won’t find a more passionate Castlecomer man than Tommy Buggy, but he’s found a home away from home in St. Mullins in Carlow.

They were the first senior club team the Killkenny native managed back in 2002 when he led them to a county title.

More than two decades later he was back for a second stint in charge last year and he repeated the trick as St. Mullins dethroned reigning champions Mount Leinster Rangers.

They’ll hope to successfully defend their title against the same opponents on Sunday, and Buggy admits he’s “nervous as a kitten” about a match between two very accomplished teams that’s likely to be decided by very fine margins.

Buggy might be an ‘outside’ manager, but he cares deeply about a club that means an awful lot to him.

“I'm shocking fond of them,” he says. “They're a great club, just an unbelievable club. They're tucked away down in the corner between Kilkenny and Wexford and the facilities they have and the work that they do, it's just brilliant.

“Even after going back there after 22 years or whatever it was, things hadn't changed a whole lot. The culture of the club hadn't changed, it had probably even gotten a little bit better even.

“There's just a fabulous culture in the club and they love their hurling. I'd always be talking to lads at home about this...we think we love hurling but we're in a county where hurling is revered and it's maybe a bit easier in some ways, but the work they do down there and their love for the game is unbelievable.

“I'm not just talking about St. Mullins either. I'm talking about Ballinkillen and Mount Leinster Rangers and Naomh Bríd and all of these clubs, they put in serious work.

“The base that Carlow hurling works off is very small but there's huge credit to them all. To be that competitive up in Division 1B and beating teams like Waterford and drawing with Kilkenny last year in the Leinster Championship, it's huge testament to the work that goes on.”

The presence of Seamus Murphy in goals for St. Mullins is a notable talking point ahead of Sunday’s Final.

Buggy actually managed him when he was in charge of the Carlow minors in 2004 and Murphy went on to have a fine career in attack for both club and county.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so when last year’s goalkeeper Kevin Kehoe retired, Buggy reckoned that parachuting the now 38-year-old Murphy into the position was the best solution to the problem and the veteran has justified his faith.

“This is the measure of them down there and I'm not giving you any bullshit, but the group that they are, I'd say if I had asked any of them to do it they would have done it,” says Buggy.

“That's not an issue. If it meant he was going to be able to play and have a chance of winning a county title, then no issue.

“These lads are very coachable because they're willing to learn and they're willing to work at it and they're willing to take on board anything that's coming their way.

“They'll do anything to improve and make it better. There's an awful lot to be said for that. The other thing about them is that they don't mind who you go playing a challenge match against. Reputations don't matter to them. They'll go and compete with anyone, given the opportunity.

“They love that idea of getting out here and pitting themselves against the best, they really do.”

A cracker of a match is expected in Sunday’s Final because both teams possess great quality, especially in attack.

St. Mullins boast county stars like Marty ‘Mouse’ Kavanagh, James Doyle, and Paddy Boland in their ranks, while Mount Leinster Rangers can count on the likes of Chris Nolan, Jon Nolan, Donagh Murphy and Ted Joyce.

“There’s very little between the two teams, there will be nothing in this game,” says Buggy. “I’m as nervous as a kitten!”

Sunday, August 24

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Carlow SHC Final

St. Mullins v Mount Leinster Rangers, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3.30pm