Jack O’Connor; ”It is Unreal”
By Cian O’Connell
Jack O’Connor grew up in an era when Sarsfields were delivering. Cork SHC titles were gleaned in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 with final defeats suffered in 2009, 2013, and 2015.
Sars were relevant. That is exactly what they’re once more. So, the excitement is real as Sarsfields prepare for Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland Club SHC final against Na Fianna at Croke Park. “It is unreal,” O’Connor says.
“When I was growing up Sars were nearly in county finals every year, from 2008 until 2015, they were in a county final almost every year, bar one maybe. When I got into the panel in 2016, we had no success really up until last year.
“When you start off you’d be thinking I’ll be playing in county finals too, but that isn’t how it always works. The last two years have been great with the county final last year and the Munster success this year.”
The journey to this weekend’s showpiece, though, hasn’t been smooth. Imokilly beat Sars Leeside, but Johnny Crowley’s charges responded on the Munster stage. “I suppose the week after the county final, we thought that we had let ourselves down a small bit,” O’Connor reflects.
“We didn’t think we’d done ourselves justice with our performance because we do think we’re a better team than we performed on that day. I just think in the days that followed, we said we had a chance to knuckle down.
“We’ve nothing to lose here, there is no pressure on us. So, we tried to get something out of it. We got the win over Feakle, and then, obviously, Ballygunner, and things started rolling then. It has been great.”
Tradition is a help according to O’Connor. “Definitely, growing up, seeing some of the lads I’m playing with now, seeing them have all the success back then, it made players like me and other fellas my age want to grow up to have success with the club,” he replies.
“It is almost like a knock on effect in a way.”
Hurling talk is top of the agenda in Glammire. “It is unreal, even just looking back on it now, none of us would’ve thought that we’d be here preparing for an All-Ireland final on Sunday,” O’Connor beams. “So, there is a great buzz back home, it is unreal.
Crowley’s role in the Sarsfields story shouldn’t be underestimated either. “He is incredible, in fairness,” O’Connor says.
“I think it was 2010 when he was involved with Sars, he won a county and again last year. I think himself and the management team that he has brought, they’ve been so professional. They’ve been incredible in the last few years. It is a credit to him and everyone around him.”
There is a nice little history too with some members of both panels, who will participate in Sunday’s clash. Thirteen years ago, Na Fianna hosted Sarfields in the All-Ireland Féile na nGael. “When I was Féile, U14 in 2012, Na Fianna actually hosted the Féile back then,” O’Connor recalls.
“So, a lot of the players had to stay in the Na Fianna players houses at the time. It is a cool thing really that all these years later we’re playing them in an All-Ireland club final after staying in some of their houses back then.” The respect is mutual.
