At the helm at home

THIS time three years ago, Crusheen manager Michael Browne was busy preparing for the county senior hurling final between Crusheen and Tulla. On that occasion, he was in the opposition camp.
Two years earlier, he had given a commitment to coach the East Clare team and while he knew that there was always a chance that it would mean plotting the downfall of his native club, little did he think that they would end up on opposite sides on the biggest day of the year in Clare hurling
“It was an extraordinary position to be in. If I could have got any way to change it I would so much love to have done so, but you give your commitment to a club and I gave it to Tulla two years ago and that was not going to change, not because it was my own club Crusheen we were playing.
“I wished and I hoped and I would love to be able to change it, but when you are with a club, that’s it. I was with Tulla and we did everything in our power to win the game,” he said moments after that final.
Michael acknowledged then that it was heartbreaking for Crusheen. “They are all my friends, my neighbours. I trained that team at U-12 and U-14 level and we won two titles together. It was the funniest of emotion, the most mixed emotion, the most strange emotion when the final whistle blew because, though I was thrilled to have won, there was part of me desperately disappointed for Crusheen because they are a great team and they deserve a county title.”
Reminded of that final last week he recalled that right after that game ended, he went around to all the Tulla players and then to all the Crusheen players.
“It was one of those bittersweet occasions. One year previous to that final, you would have got one million to one on a Crushen-Tulla final that year.”
Victory for Crusheen on Sunday would place the quietly spoken Crusheen man in a special place in GAA. However this is something he says he is not thinking about.
“This is about the team. My aim when I got involved last year was to try and get them back to the county final. I was on the other side the last time they were there.
“I really wanted them to get into another one. So long as we can do ourselves justice and I can say that I could have done no more, that is all we can ask for. We have to take whatever result comes,” he said.
“The aim from the beginning of the year was to be in contention for the title come final day. That’s why you train and put the effort in from the beginning of the year.
“At the beginning of the year, our secretary Tony McMahon gave me a schedule for the year with details of all the matches. I was looking at it earlier today and I said that at the beginning of the year, I would have settled to be still involved. It’s fantastic,” he said.
He said he is delighted that qualification for the final will give Cathal Dillon the chance to play.
“Cathal has been playing for Crusheen since he was 15 and I felt for him when he was sent off in the quarter-final. It seemed so unfair that he mightn’t get the chance to play again this season but he now has that chance.”
Getting to this year’s final reflects great credit on the lads. “When a team comes to a peak and it doesn’t work and it happens a second time, they very often disappear but this group didn’t do that. Their commitment has been huge and I couldn’t but admire the amount of effort they have given. We have changed our style of play a bit along the way,” he said.
He stressed that his charges are facing a huge task on Sunday. “Watching the drawn game between Cratloe and Clonlara, I was struck by the intensity of the game. It’s been a long time since I have seen a game of such intensity.”
He acknowledged that when a club is in a county final, “It is huge for the parish and it’s no different in Crusheen. Given that Crusheen are also in the junior final, the hype will be mighty and there will be some great days and evenings in the lead up to the game.
“We have a job to do and that is to get ready for a very important game. The rest of the parish can enjoy the hype. The GAA club is important and significant in every corner of the country. It’s a huge part of our Irish culture and tradition.”
Will there be celebrations in Crusheen on Sunday evening?
“All you can do is your very best and see if that is good enough. We will give it our best cut and we will be as ready as we possibly can,” he said.