The St. Killian's College U-19 hurlers and management team.
By John Harrington
The tight-knit hurling community from the Glens of Antrim will be out in force at the NGDC in Abbotstown on Saturday to roar on St. Killian’s College in the Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Paddy Buggy Cup Final.
Drawing their players from four clubs – Ruairi Óg Cushendall, Oisíns Glenariffe, Con Magees Glenravel, and Shane O’Neills Glenarm, the Antrim school are very much at the heart of their local community.
That much was made very obvious by the extent to which everyone engaged with fund-raisers for the team in recent weeks that included a coffee morning, a table-quiz, and an auction where 200 five pound tickets were all sold within six hours.
“Aye, there’s a huge buzz,” says St. Killian’s team manager, Padraig McIlwaine.
“Where our school is we're on a cliff-face of a mountain looking out over the sea and hurling just meant the world to us here.
“Our clubs are exceptional to us. We don't have a school pitch that we can train on so all our trainings take place in our local GAA pitches and there’s a great connection with the local clubs.
“The reception the boys got from the whole school when we brought the Magean Cup (Ulster U19A Hurling) back to the school for the first time in 60 years was incredible. There was 900 people out welcoming them back in again. It's been a big thing and the buzz has just carried on.
“The parishes will empty this weekend, so we're just hoping to ourselves justice and do them justice too.”
The St. Killian's hurler return to their school with the Mageean Cup.
This St. Killian’s team is stacked with players who are currently members of the Antrim U-17, U20, or, in the case of Joseph McLaughlin, the senior inter-county hurling panel.
Team captain McLaughlin, who starred for a Cushendall team that reached this year’s AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final, is the focal point in attack, but this is a nicely balanced St. Killian’s team in all sectors of the pitch.
“Joseph got all the plaudits the last day in the All-Ireland semi-final win over Portumna, but it the Mageean Final it was young Cormac McKeown who got all the plaudits,” says McIlwaine.
“Our defence has been exceptional the whole way through it, midfield has worked really well for us, we are a unit as a team. That's what makes this team so special, they're a very close-knit bunch.
“And I suppose being in this competition for this long and training together has only made that more so.
“We've a good work ethic from 1 to 30. There are boys that are trying to push onto the panel and there are players there that probably know they're not going to be starting or maybe not get much game-time, but they don't miss training.
“They're there pushing everyone on. They all have a role to play and that keeps that closeness together within the panel.”
In attendance at the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Captains Call at Croke Park in Dublin are, from left, Joseph McLoughlin of St Killian's College, Ben O'Sullivan and Joe O'Keeffe of Blackwater Community College. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.
Blackwater Community School from Waterford will be a formidable obstacle on Saturday, but St. Killian’s plan to focus on getting the best from themselves rather than overanalyse their opponents.
“We're just going to try to go out and do what we do and let them worry about us,” says McIlwaine.
“Our boys just need to go out and express themselves. We have the talent there and we've tried to take the pressure off them with each game we’ve played.
“For us the monkey off the back was the Mageean because they got beat in the final the year before. They won it this year and anything after that has been bonus territory and they're enjoying this now because for us there is no pressure there.
“They went into the semi-final against Portumna with that feeling as well and they went and expressed themselves and played a lovely style of hurling.
“They moved the ball about really well and that's what we want them to do. Hopefully they go and do that next Saturday."
Saturday, March 16
Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Paddy Buggy Cup Final
St Killian's College, Garron Tower v Blackwater Community School, NGDC Abbotstown, 1.30pm
Tickets for the match can be purchased HERE.