This article is from page 99 of the 2008-11-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 99 JPG
MUNSTER finals may not be a new experience for Danny Chaplin but this is groundbreaking and unchar- tered territory for his young Broad- ICO) KO MILO (oR
After giving almost a quarter of a century of service as a player and mentor for his native Sixmilebri- dge, his move to Broadford saw him take over the reins in the local club in 2005 and he set about remoulding the then recently relegated side into a senior force once more.
Broadford finally realised that aim three weeks ago against his former side in the incessant rain of Clare- castle but having witnessed what a Munster run did for fellow Clare sides in recent years, his side weren’t just content with county honours.
Two years on from their Munster success, Clooney/Quin were within a whisker of the senior quarter-finals this year and subsequently reached a senior B final while Clonlara’s whirl- wind journey to county senior suc- cess this year proved what a boost a Munster intermediate title can be.
Successive battling displays against Templederry Kenyons and Bruff fol- lowed and now Broadford are only
sixty minutes away from emulating their neighbours achievements over the past two years.
“Our aim at the start of the year was just to win Clare but everything has taken off since. We had three weeks in a row of great results and the whole parish is literally gone mental here. There are flags outside every house and there are kids com- ing down watching training. It has done so much and it has given a lift to everyone.
“I think the character of the team really came to the fore last time against Bruff. We were playing up the hill against the wind and they were after pulling back a seven point lead down to a point and I think that is when the boys really stood up and were counted.”
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Broad- ford this year, however. Twice in the group stages, Parteen had the indian sign over the east Clare side to put their championship ambitions in real peril but if anything, it was the jolt they needed to up the ante and be- come a more resiliant outfit.
‘I said a few things in the dressing room after the Parteen game that day that they didn’t like. They didn’t like hearing them and I didn’t like say-
ing them but in fairness to them, the following Tuesday night, there was twenty eight of them down at train- ing out of twenty nine and that other player was away. You can’t ask for any more than that and they realised that they were the ones who had to do it. We could do no more for them on the sideline, it had to come from the players and in fairness to them, the commitment they have given since that day has been phenomenal.
“They are now like one big unit. I mean we tried to bring in a family aspect to the squad where you are playing for the fella alongside you as much as you are playing for the par- ish and yourself.”
Blarney are Broadford’s opponents in Sunday’s decider after receiving a bye in the semi-finals as the Wa- terford championship was not com- pleted in time.
The Cork side accounted for Antho- ny Daly’s Kilmoyley in the quarter- final, a team who were fancied to go far in this year’s provincial race and while Chaplin admits to not knowing too much about Blarney, he acknowl- edges the significance of this unique opportunity for his Broadford side.
‘There are 32 teams in the interme- diate championship in Cork so you
don’t win it easily. The only thing I know about them is that they have been in the semi-final three years in a row so they have been knocking on the door for a while and they are a very good side I believe.
“But we are concentrating on our- selves. Ninety per cent of our players will probably never be in a Munster final again. This is our chance and they don’t come around too often so we are trying to stress that. Not to get too overawed by the occasion but keep their feet on the ground and give their all. We would just like to emu- late Clooney-Quin and Clonlara.
“IT was involved with the ‘Bridge years ago and I remember we won a Munster club in 1995 and different Clare clubs won it in 796, ’97, ’98 and “99 and we were back in it in 2000.
“IT remember before that game, it was the one thing we said that we were not going to be the club that loses it for Clare and in that respect, Broadford don’t want to be the club that loses the Munster intermediate championship for Clare and that is not to put too much pressure on the players as the same time.”