Enda Coughlan still serving the Kilmurry-Ibrickane cause

By Cian O'Connell

Kilmurry-Ibrickane matters deeply to Enda Coughlan. So, the switch from player to manager was sharp.

Coughlan is always ready, willing, and able to help out. Along with the accomplished coach, Evan Talty, Coughlan took charge of Kilmurry-Ibrickane for the 2026 campaign.

A Clare SFC semi-final against Kildysart beckons at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg on Sunday for a youthful panel. It's been busy, but Coughlan is relishing the role. "I only finished playing last year," Coughlan says.

"It was straight in, maybe a few years before I thought I'd be taking it on. Evan and myself spoke about it, and we said we'd give it a go this year."

Coughlan was a key contributor during Kilmurry-Ibrickane's salad years. Between 2002 and 2020, Kilmurry-Ibrickane collected nine Clare SFC titles and two AIB Munster crowns, reaching an All-Ireland Final in 2010. "We have a great history, in fairness," Coughlan responds.

"We've done well, but this is probably a new enough team in regards that only three or four of that team are still knocking around. It's a brand new team, a lot of them won medals in 2020, but it's been six years since we've been back there in a county final.

"Getting to a semi-final is a great boost for this group. They haven't been there that often."

Considering Kilmurry-Ibrickane had grown accustomed to raising silverware, how hard is it when cups aren't hoisted? "We're the same as every club in the west of Ireland at the moment, the population isn't what it used to be," Coughlan responds.

"I think we're doing well enough. All down through the club, we're still competing on our own, a lot of clubs we played back in the day, they're amalgamated. We've dropped down the divisions compared to where we used to be, but there is a lot of good work going on underage here.

"Even though we've dropped down a few divisions at underage, we're still plugging on our own. We're getting players from that. We'd one Clare minor this year, four the year before.

"There is still a lot of good talent coming through, but we probably don't have the numbers that we had years ago."

The highly regarded Talty, involved with Limerick this year, is also carrying out coaching work with Kerry's Rathmore and Roscommon's St Brigid's, remains a key figure in the Kilmurry-Ibrickane set-up. "He's excellent, he's a top class coach, he's well sought after," Coughlan says.

"We're very lucky to have him in the club, we'd be good friends. We're the same age, we'd have played together all the way up along as far as senior. We'd speak most days anyway, but he's top class, he's doing really well, and I'm delighted for him.

"He's giving great time to Kilmurry. Even though he's with a number of other clubs, he still hasn't forgotten Kilmurry. Great credit is due to him."

Coughlan's own coaching journey commenced shortly after retiring from inter-county duty with Clare. Colm Collins, a totemic figure in the Clare football story, was a persuasive manager. "It was a massive learning for me," Coughlan reflects.

"Initially, I went in as a runner really - just to give a hand. You learn stuff, you learn from the coaches. I learned an awful lot from Colm, he's an excellent manager.

"I learned from him as I did from a lot of Kilmurry managers down through the years. You're just trying to take the good parts from all of those managers, to do the best I can with what I'm doing."

Having won four of the last six Clare Championships, Éire Óg have set a decent standard, but St Joseph's Milltown-Malbay, Kildysart, and Kilmurry-Ibrickane believe that possibilities exist. "I think they do," Coughlan says.

"Obviously, Éire Óg have dominated the last couple of years. Cratloe won it in '23, but Éire Óg have been dominant since 2021. We won it in '20. It's competitive, a lot of clubs fancy their chances, but getting to the last four is a good achievement for the four clubs.

"We're happy enough with how our year has gone so far. We'd a tough quarter-final, we were lucky to come out of it, we'd a tough group. We finished top of it, which we were delighted with. We're hoping to put our best foot forward on Sunday, to see where it brings us."

Ensuring Kilmurry-Ibrickane are relevant is the challenge. Helping to develop and inspire the next generation is crucial. "I've been over the U21s here in the club with Evan for the last number of years," Coughlan adds.

"It was maybe the next progression. Probably, it was a couple of years before I thought I'd do it. I thought I'd have given it a few years because a lot of the players, I played with them, I only finished up last year.

"That's hard enough, but in fairness they know we're all only trying to get the best for the club. They've all rowed in behind me, they've given great commitment to the club this year."

Coughlan is still leading the way for Kilmurry-Ibrickane.