Barrett determined to return Canon to Newmarket

Enda Barrett is in his second year as captain of Newmarket senior hurlers. He and his teammates are determined that it will prove to be more successful than 2011.

Enda Barrett is in his second year as captain of Newmarket senior hurlers. He and his teammates are determined that it will prove to be more successful than 2011.
“It’s a great and special honour to be asked to be club captain and to have been asked to continue in the role this year is, indeed, special. That said, the captain’s role is really to go up for the toss of the coin. Winning comes down to the panel of 30 or so players,” he told The Clare Champion this week ahead of Sunday’s final.
“Not getting out of the group was a blow last year. When this season came around we re-grouped and we set as a target to get out of the group. They were all very tough games but we managed to achieve that target and we were able to keep it going having got to the knock-out stage. We are now one step away from the title but it’s a massive step,” the Clare inter-ounty player said.
Given Newmarket’s proud history in this championship and the fact that the club hasn’t won the title in over 30 years, is there additional pressure on this squad?
“It doesn’t really come into it. We are not looking at that – that is for the supporters. All year we have taken it one game at a time and we have focussed on our own game. That has been the approach of the team and management and that is our job,” he said.
The Newmarket skipper stresses, “there is not much between any of the teams in this championship. The biggest winning margin we have had is three points. County finals tend to be tight. At this time of year finals generally come down to frees and whichever side can keep their discipline the better will have the better chance of winning”.
The Blues captain says he and his teammates “haven’t really thought about our opponents too much during this campaign.
“We try to focus on our own game. The aim is to focus on ourselves, play to the best of our ability and try and get the job done”.
For the past four years, Barrett has been a central figure in the Waterford IT Fitzgibbon Cup side but, disappointingly for him, he didn’t manage to win a third level colleges championship.
“They won the title the year before I joined. While I was with them, we contested two finals but, unfortunately, didn’t win,” he explained.
Newmarket seemed to do well in the early stages of the Clare Champion Cup (senior league) and not hold that form in recent years he said.
“We seem to have got the balance well this year – they are in the finals of both competitions – and, to date, it has paid off.”
What about the involvement of former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy this year? “Anyone that has spoken to him will know that he has a massive passion and love for the game and he brings that with him. The players feed off that. He has helped develop a great hunger for success in the squad,” the captain replied.
“We are all getting that little bit older and we need to push on. Going into the semi-final, we knew that Clonlara were a big, physical team with exceptional depth given the amount of players they have in the county teams. It’s the same with Cratloe and, in addition to hurling ability, we will need determination and hunger if we are to have a chance,” Barrett said.
“It we can’t have the necessary hunger for a final like this, then we are in the wrong game,” he said before going on to pay tribute to the team management.
“They have done an exceptional job. They have managed to keep the players fresh. They always made training interesting and players can talk to them if they are feeling tired,” said Enda, who recently completed his studies at WIT. He is now seeking employment and in the meantime, when he is not training or playing for his club, he is helping his father.
This week the focus is very much on hurling and on Sunday he will lead a very determined and hungry Newmarket outfit to Cusack Park in an attempt to bridge a 31-year gap. Barrett would dearly love to bring the Canon Hamilton Trophy back to Newmarket for the first time since 1981. It won’t be his fault if it doesn’t happen.