Veteran goalkeeper Jimmy Farrell relishing the chance to lead Clonad to Laois GAA IHC silverware

Clonad GAA club are competing in this weekend’s Intermediate Hurling Championship final, in what is their first County Final in a decade. Goalkeeper and captain Jimmy Farrell spoke about the buzz that has engulfed the club.

“2015, it's been a long time. Through many different factors and different reasons, the club has been a bit up and down at times, with players leaving. But at the moment, it's a very young team. It's a great experience for them too, and the buzz around the place, even from the juvenile scene, is absolutely fantastic, so it is,” he said.

His side won the ACHL Division 4 title earlier this year, which he says gave them a good platform coming into the championship.

“Last year, we lost the league final to Mountmellick there, but this year, there was a bit of an extra emphasis on it. It was all focused towards the championship. It is a very young squad, they're learning the whole time too, but that experience of winning the league brought us into the championship in a good place and made us believe then that, you know, there's a real, real good chance this year that we could do the business. Hopefully, so far, it's looking that way,” Farrell said.

Remarkably, Farrell has yet to concede a goal in this year’s championship. He gave massive credit to his full-back line in front of him.

“We have our normal training, and we do have goalkeeping training as well. A lot of credit has to go, of course, to the full-back line. We've really tightened up the ship this year. A perfect example of that was in the last couple of minutes of the Slieve Bloom game. 11 points up, it would have been easy to get sidetracked and maybe concede one. Slieve Bloom had a free in the last couple of minutes, and every lad was roaring, no goals. Hopefully, we don't concede one at all in this championship; that would be great,” he said.

Clonad and Saturday’s opponents, Mountrath, have clashed many times over the years. Farrell sees the middle eight being crucial, and whoever comes out on top in that battle will more than likely have their hands on silverware.

“We played Mountrath in the first round of the championship last year. They beat us by a few points over there, and it probably wasn't a true reflection. They probably should have beaten us by more. Look, at the end of the day, it's a county final. You can prepare your best, but it comes down to 60 minutes. The middle eight, at the end of the day, is the engine of every team, and that's where games are lost. You're supplying your full-forwards with the best ball you can give them, but it's in the middle of the field that’s where I think the game will be won or lost,” Farrell commented.

Clonad are under the management of David O’Brien this year, who was also involved with Tommy Fitzgerald’s Laois Senior Hurlers. Farrell feels that they came in with a plan, and so far it’s going to plan.

“We had new management come in this season, David O'Brien and his team. They came in with a very straightforward plan. Every game we’ve played throughout the league and the championship, we can see the plan progressing each game and what they want us to do, and it's working. But it is, it's about having a plan, and if the plan doesn't work, there is a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C. Once everyone buys into what he wants, I think that's what really makes it count at the end of the day. Everyone knows their job. Once I do my job, you do your job, and we're all happy,” he said.

Farrell has been around the Clonad team for quite some time and, as he admits, is ‘one of the older statesmen on the team’. He ended by thanking those in the background and the club’s sponsors for helping them reach their goal, a County Final for the first time in 10 years.

“I am one of the older statesmen on the team. I'm actually one of the last ones to have hurled in the Senior championship with Clonad back in 2008. But obviously, the system has been regraded and changed in the years in between. But 2015, 10 years ago, it's a long time ago. We've had personnel changes. We have a very young team. But I certainly think, compared to the last two years, every year they're coming on that little bit.

We've got David O’Brien in with the Senior hurlers. We have a couple of lads in with the 20’s. That only helps to improve everyone else, from a training aspect to on the field. Every year, that belief has grown more and more. The more the younger lads get this experience, I think it's certainly there for us. So all we need to do is turn up on  Saturday and hurl well, hopefully. I’d also just like to say a massive thanks to everyone involved in the club, from sponsors to committees to the personnel, who have given us the opportunities to be in the position we are this year. It’s a massive credit to them in the background as well,” he ended.

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