A lasting legacy left behind

Late last Wednesday night I received a telephone call to say that Eamonn was not well and the end was coming. Before lunchtime on Thursday a text message from Valerie Mulcahy confirmed the sad news, that the battle he had fought so valiantly over the last couple of years had ended in defeat, a rare occurrence for Eamonn in recent years.

The one trait of Eamonn that all the people I have spoken to since his passing have mentioned was that he was a “thorough gentleman”. How true.

As a player he had an excellent career, and among his many honours are Munster senior football medals in 1966 and ’67, and he really treasured the East Cork junior hurling medal he won with his beloved Watergrasshill late in his playing days.

Coaching, though, was his forté and it all began in Watergrasshill National School whom he guided to major success in Sciath Na Scoil taking on, and frequently getting the better of, some of that fabled competition’s bigger guns.

At intercounty level, he coached the Cork minor footballers to two All-Ireland titles, and in a real touch of irony, was coach to the seniors when Tadgh Murphy got an injury time goal to defeat Kerry in 1983, a feat emulated by Mark Keane a short few weeks ago.

On becoming the GAA Officer in UCC, he grew into a role that was made for him, such was his love of the games. He was involved with many successes at Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and Ashbourne Cup level while also working with the freshers, juniors and intermediate teams, they were as he said himself “just as important as our top teams”.

While football occupied most of Eamonn’s coaching career, he will forever be remembered in Na Piarsaigh for guiding them to a brace of county senior hurling titles, while was also a guiding influence in their third win in 2004. In 2006 he helped secure the intermediate football title for Ballingeary, his home for the last 17 years, when they defeated Castletownbere after a replay in horrendous conditions.

For all that, his achievements with the Cork ladies football team will forever stand the test of time; ten All-Ireland titles in 11 years and for good measure, nine National League wins.

Yet before his appointment in 2005, Cork had never won a title of any significance, in that remarkable period Cork won a four in-a-row and then a six titles in-a-row.

In the last week, the players involved with those teams have spoken eloquently about Eamonn, not just his ability as a coach, but his words and actions and how he shaped them as individuals, even after they had retired.

He retained an interest in their careers and families and was always willing to help if needed, that’s a measure of the man.

Those players had a very special bond with Eamonn that, even with his passing, will not be broken. When I spoke to Valerie Mulcahy on Thursday, I could feel the sadness in her voice.

Many stories have been told and will be told about a man I was privileged to have known and always enjoyed the chats we had before and after games…Eamonn loved to chat!

Des Cullinane who had a long association with UCC and travelled on many a bus journey said that every village they went through, Eamonn would say as they passed the local cemetery, “there it is, the dead centre of the village”.

Well now after a brave and courageous battle Eamonn is now resting peacefully in Ballinaltig Cemetery just a puck of a ball from the GAA field in Watergrasshill - a club, along with the football side Glenville, that was and will always remain so close to his heart.

Sincere sympathy to his family on their loss, I am sure they will take comfort in the knowledge that he was loved and respected by so many as can be seen by the many worthwhile tributes that have been paid to him from far and wide since his passing.

Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís.

Cork appointments

Another busy week when several important appointments were confirmed, and with due respect to the minor hurling and football selectors, the big one was the return of Donal O’Grady with the senior hurlers. This is a very significant appointment and manager Kieran Kingston is to be lauded for getting Donal on board.

As a coach few are better and that is reflected by the comments of Alan Browne and Limerick’s Gavin O’Mahony who both were fulsome in their praise for Donal’s coaching.

Attention to detail and working on the basics are traits of the 2004 winning coach and he was also a selector in 1986 when Cork were also crowned All-Ireland champions.

In recent years, apart from his media work, Donal has been involved with his club the ‘Barrs at underage level so he has never really stepped away from coaching.

It adds a new dimension to the Cork backroom team, and whenever the season gets up and running, the progress of the team’s playing style will be watched with interest.

I sent Donal a text on Thursday wishing him well in his new role, the reply was short “small role”…I doubt it!

Noel Furlong, as expected, was appointed the minor hurling manager and will have Niall McCarthy, David Dorgan, Ger O’Regan and Wesley O’Brien as his selectors, interestingly two from the one club, Carrigtwohill.

This is a one-year appointment, which in normal circumstances would see the round robin format guaranteeing four games, but in the current climate it could be a short one. Hopefully not, the knockout format is the likely option and with all the planning and work gone into the succession of appointments, it would be a shame if it were to end after just one championship outing.

Michael O’Brien, who was coach when Ballincollig won the senior county title, is the new minor football manager and it’s good to see Donnacha O’Connor joining the set up, with Daniel Cronin, Martin O’Brien and Gary Sheehan completing the committee who, unlike the hurlers, have been given a two-year term. Surprisingly there’s no representative from the city on the selection committee.

One other aspect is that in the Board’s press announcement, the point was made that the appointments all follow on from their involvement with the development squads.

While I can understand the need for continuity, there is a lot of good hurling and football knowledge in this county who are not involved at development squad level, they should not be overlooked in future appointments, or equally, just because they are involved at that level.

That said best of luck to both selection committees in their work which is sure to be challenging in the weeks and months ahead.

Meanwhile

It was no real surprise that the highly prestigious and very competitive Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups have been cancelled; it is expected that the Ashbourne and O’Connor (camogie and ladies football) Cups will follow suit.

There is a slight chance that they might be played later in the year, October has been mentioned, but that is a long shot given the level of club activity that could be ongoing at that time. However, there is a desire to hold these competitions and all college officers will work hard to try and get it over the line.

At secondary level the All-Ireland Colleges Championship will not be played but there is a possibility at provincial level that the Harty Cup and Corn Uí Mhuirí might be played, but with schools still closed and likely to be for some time yet, that looks a long shot right now.

Not the best of starts for Bríd Stack in her new career in Australia, but good to hear that she will make a full recovery and hopefully get to play again before the season ends.

The start date for the 2021 intercounty season looks set to be put back until late March, a final decision will be made on 29 January, it is understood that the draws for the provincial hurling and football championships will be made next month.

No new dates have yet been announced for the completion of the outstanding 2020 championships, with Cork hoping that the Under 20 All-Ireland Hurling Final will be played sooner rather than later, again depending on restrictions being eased.

Take care and be safe.