Cumann Iománaíochta Mhaigh Cuilinn improving in the west

By Cian O'Connell

There is something about sport in Moycullen. Accomplished GAA players have been sprinkled across successful Galway teams at every level.

In other codes, Moycullen natives have flourished as soccer players, basketballers, and rowers. The Russells, Fiona Murtagh, and Vinny Faherty, to merely name a few, have contributed in an admirable and consistent manner to teams and crews they've graced.

Another influential figure from the area, Seán Kelly, is the current Galway senior football team captain. National League basketball has been sustained.

County football titles have been gleaned in 2020 and 2022 under the stewardship of Don Connellan, who sadly passed away in recent months. Former Roscommon footballer Connellan brought ideas and invention to Moycullen. It is a welcoming environment.

Now, the hurlers are embarking on a similar adventure. Underage titles injected hope and optimism that better days were imminent.

Frank Enright, from Clooney in Clare, is manager Cumann Iománaíochta Mhaigh Cuilinn, who have advanced to the Galway SHC preliminary quarter-finals. Undoubtedly, a demanding examination awaits at Pearse Sunday on Sunday against holders Loughrea.

Still, the fact Moycullen are relevant matters deeply with Enright acknowledging those who kept green and white teams alive. "Long before I or many other people came into the parish," Enright says.

"It is a very tight knit hurling community here, it is operating as an outpost in Galway hurling terms. So, it isn't easy, but in other ways it is a brilliant hurling community in terms of circling the wagons and working together."

The sheer hard work carried out in Ballydotia, far from knockout matches at Pearse Stadium, counts for so much. "We've lots of mammies, who've huge energy at underage, and even in the backroom in the senior team, you've so many people that support us, it is incredible," he adds.

"Some of the fruits of the work that has gone on over the last couple of decades, in particular, are being reflected. We did manage to win A titles at U13, U14, U15, U16."

Moycullen's stirring recent win over Gort was the latest encouraging sign. "I was just saying to the lads before we went out against Gort, we'd manage to get 13 of them from an U15 team into the senior dressing room," Enright explains.

"They hadn't realised that so many were still playing. That is where we're getting energy from. These boys, a lot of them are together for a long time, and now they're starting to grow up a little bit.

"They're merging with some of the mature or old lads as they're called on the team, at this stage. Hopefully, a few things are aligning for us and we're getting better."

That has been key, Moycullen's willingness to improve, to learn valuable lessons. It wasn't always easy to compete, but Moycullen found a way. "We'd a period where we'd a bit of difficulty, and in fairness the County Board worked with us," Enright responds.

"We said that we were working harder than we'd ever done before and please allow us, even in Go Games, to play with Clarinbridge, Turloughmore, and Loughrea, and all of these teams. In fairness, they played ball with us and that gave the boys themselves the belief that they could play at that level.

"As a result, they don't fear or consider playing somebody else from a more traditional senior club or more consistent senior club. They don't fear them as a result, they've marked these guys at U12 or U13."

Moycullen players have featured in the various age grades for Galway, another positive sign according to Enright. "The fact that they've played with them," he remarks.

"We've a few All-Ireland minor winners in the set-up and a senior All-Ireland winner in Matt Donohue, too. All of those things mean lads have their own personal self belief as well as trying to enforce that and re-enforce it with other players in the group.

"The likes of Colm (Cunningham) and Fionn (McDonagh) have played at a very high level with Galway and with Mary I.

"You've others coming through, Diarmuid (Davoren) is coming through to that stage. Eanna Davoren is free from injury, I'm sure he will play with Galway. The same thing, not fazed by playing at a higher level.

"We just need to get more players to almost think that way, some of it is just a mental thing. It's not that they aren't physically or technically up to it, it's just that you've to have that belief."

To assist with that aspect, Enright's nephew, Paul Flanagan, has been a real source of inspiration. John Conlon has helped Loughrea, Flanagan is supplying guidance to Moycullen so a Banner element adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming encounter. "Paul Flanagan is a magic fella," Enright says.

"He hasn't been able to spend enough time with us in the sense that he's still playing out of his skin for Ballyea. All of their matches, including next Sunday, are clashing with us. He did some workshops with the lads during this season and changed a mindset.

"A few little subtle things where you could see the penny dropping in the room around féin mhuinín as they call it, self belief. Knowing when to stay in the blue zone, not to go into the red, having a go at a referee or a go at Frank the manager. Coming from his experience with Clare and Ballyea that means something.

"People know they're listening to somebody who knows their stuff and has an All-Ireland medal or two at senior level to show for it. That is always very helpful because he's a great communicator and has a nice way with the lads."

One of Enright's sons, Eamon, is involved in the Moycullen panel. An appreciation for hurling is being passed through the generations. "I started playing with Clooney in Clare, Peter Duggan and Ryan Taylor's club," Enright says.

"I'd have played with the likes of Peter's uncles way back in the day. I played underage with Clare at U16 and minor, I came to Galway and ended up playing the latter part of my career with Annaghdown and Moycullen, just at junior level as I was tailing off."

Coaching, though, was next on the agenda. Time was well spent in the Galway Academy set-up. "I loved that for a lot of reasons," Enright reflects.

"I learned a lot as a coach, I learned almost the Galway style. Coaches are great at sharing what they're doing at underage. It was brilliant to work at underage with Gavin Lee, Liam Leen, Shane Morgan, all those kind of players.

"It was fantastic to coach such positive players, we'd some of our own guys in Moycullen among that. It meant I was learning as a coach and so were other coaches in Moycullen. That gave us other inches, if you like, to help us compete. We're still trying to build on that."

The Celtic Challenge has been important in keeping players in the Galway Academy system. "You nailed it, that Celtic Challenge has been huge," Enright replies.

"I could go across a number of clubs - Ballindereen and ourselves in Moycullen, where a number of players haven't reached the very top 24 to make a Galway minor team, but this exposure is vital.

"Some of our lads are still wearing their Celtic Challenge jerseys at training this week. That kind of exposure is just incredible for players. Just in terms of self belief, the comparison, I'm almost there, I'm not far off a very high level, and I can compete. The Celtic Challenge is huge.

"I know it has been the same in other counties just talking to family and friends. Sometimes you might just meet somebody with a Celtic Challenge jersey on from some other county. From talking with them, then you just know how big it is in their clubs and locality."

It is most certainly the case in Moycullen. On Sunday, the hurlers face a powerful Loughrea outfit. Seven days later the footballers meet Oughterard in the last eight.

School is back and sport peppers the conversations. Enright is heartened that an emerging crop of hurlers are improving.