Exciting stint for Mount Sion CBS
Tommy Kennedy and Bradley Penkert, joint captains of Mount Sion CBS, Waterford, picturead ahead of the upcoming Masita All Ireland PPS Niall McInerney Hurling Final against Scoil Aireagail, Ballyhale. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
In Mount Sion CBS, the excitement is building.
As Saturday's All-Ireland Colleges D Final against Scoil Aireagail, Ballyhale edges closer, joint manager Frank Galvin senses the excitement. Galvin and former Kilkenny star John Mulhall have steered Mount Sion into a national decider.
A talented collection of players have brought success to the Waterford school. "It is absolutely fantastic, the support we've got over the week from the school community and the club is fantastic," Galvin says.
"We're having a good build-up. We've got a lot of support, we were out in the Sauna Social doing ice baths and the sauna, just building up to the occasion.
"The way we're fixed, in the next couple of years, we're going to have very little hurling in the school with the numbers coming through the school and the numbers playing hurling within Waterford city.
"We're really embracing the last couple of weeks, especially going into Saturday."
Challenges exist according to Galvin, who is hopeful that the school can maintain teams in the coming years. "We've about 480 students within the school," he explains.
"You'd look at it and might go, that is a fine size school, but across the six years we've about 45-50 guys playing hurling. So, less than 10 per cent of the school is playing hurling.
"The majority of them are from the Mount Sion club. It is kind of an elderly area of the city, an ageing population.
"It isn't just in Waterford, you can see that it can be hard to breed new blood into that type of an area. We're doing well with the guys we have."
The Mount Sion Post Primary School hurling team.
Galvin is delighted that this collection of players have delivered silverware. "Usually, we'd have players from a couple of clubs," he says.
"In the secondary school we'd have Mount Sion, St Saviours, Erins Own, and one or two from other clubs. Now, it is predominantly all Mount Sion and we've three lads from St Saviours. Actually, two of the lads from St Saviours are assisting Mount Sion in the minor grade.
"You're nearly looking at it all from the one club. This group won an U15 Munster and an U17 Munster, they won the U19 this year. Three of the boys were on the Waterford All-Ireland winning team last year.
"There is a good crop of players, who all came at the one time. We're blessed this group of players came through and how successful they've been."
The fact that three All-Ireland minor winning players are involved is a significant help. "The three guys that were involved are as cool as cool can be," Galvin responds.
"It is just another match to them. When you've that level of calmness coming from them, it feeds down to the rest of the guys. You can see that they're looking forward to Saturday, they're embracing it, and they're ready to go."
The link between the school and Mount Sion club is critical, too. "All through the years, the players that represented Mount Sion, going back to the likes of Ken McGrath, they'd have all came through the school," Galvin replies.
"Now, this group of lads all live in the locality. The link between the school and the club is very strong. In the past couple of weeks, the minor management team looking after the lads, they've been training them, and have them in good fettle. So, they'll be in good shape for Saturday.
"There is a very strong link between the club and the school. That is what you want, especially for a small community within Waterford, the Mount Sion community."
While this adventure offers encouragement, Galvin knows that demanding days are ahead. "We were looking at the gradings for next year, we won a D Munster this year, and are into an All-Ireland final," he says.
"We're probably going to look to move down a grade next year because we don't have the numbers to sustain it to be competitive.
"You could go into the D, but you've big schools, the likes of St Munchin's, who we played in the Munster final.
"You've the likes of Kilmacthomas and Waterpark, all with growing numbers."
Galvin is aware that the 2025/26 campaign has brought joy and hope. An All-Ireland against Scoil Aireagail, Ballyhale in New Ross beckons.
Saturday, March 21
Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Niall McInerney (Senior D) Cup
Mount Sion CBS Post Primary v Scoil Aireagal Ballyhale, O'Kennedy Park, New Ross, 2pm
