‘It’s the medal everybody in the parish wants the most’- Eibhear Quilligan

2024 will be a year that the man who dons the number one jersey for club and county will never ever forget. National League and Liam McCarthy medals  already in his back pocket the All Star nominee feels he’s not being one bit greedy by wanting one more medal.
” It’s been a brilliant year, one that will stay with me forever and honestly you have to pinch yourself and realise this isn’t something that happens every year.
“The buzz around the All-Ireland was incredible but as a player you had to take a step back from it at the time. It was the best couple of weeks leading up to the final and of course the celebrations were off the charts. 
“I’ll tell you one thing though- it was so difficult playing the opening round of this championship after just two weeks and it was excruciatingly hard to come back down from the high of Liam MacCarthy. It’s different now with the club in the county final. You just have to immerse yourself in the build up and in the atmosphere surrounding it all. It’s been a lifetime for Feakle to get here so I’ve told all the lads to enjoy it and soak it all in- every single minute of it.
“It’ll be another lifelong memory. Not one of us has experience of being involved in the biggest day in club hurling but honestly it’s not a surprise to us that we’re here either. We’ve a nice spread to our panel that includes younger players who have tasted what success is by winning the Harty and Under 21 A titles so their addition to the team and panel has really strengthened what was already a pretty decent core group that have been there for several years.
“It would be the perfect end to an incredible year if we could win and it would mean so much to everybody which would make this medal really special. It’s the medal everybody in the parish wants the most. Joining the heroes of all those years ago is a dream but that dream can turn into a reality if we can take down the Sixmilebridge winning machine on Sunday.”
That winning machine that Quilligan refers to includes players like Alex Morey who have never tasted defeat in a final.
“Every year for as long as I’ve been playing it’s been a case of whoever can beat the bridge can win the title. They are an outstanding club. They turn up every year and do their club and the people of Sixmilebridge proud. I’ll never forget our last meeting with them in the Championship.
“It was a dark day for all of us losing by 21 points. You just wanted to disappear after it. You felt you had let the whole community down. We have the ultimate chance at redemption now but there’ll be no sentiment within their camp. No matter what fifteen players they have on the field they are and always will be the most formidable of opposition.
They seem to have an innate ability when it comes to winning tight games. Without question we will have to be at our very best. We will need our best ever performance but in saying that I do know the lads are ready to deliver that performance.
“As a squad we all know this is an opportunity of a lifetime. One that there is no guarantee we will get again such is the competitive nature of the club championship. Almost any team in the county can beat another on any given day. We are just hoping and praying that Sunday will be our day to shine, our day to join the class of 88 and our day to deliver for the great people of this wonderful parish.”
There seems to be a massive connect between players and supporters something the Feakle custodian says has always been there.
” Even when we weren’t going well there was always a bond there amongst the players and with the entire community. Feakle people love their hurling and always follow us in numbers. To hear them roar you on does give the team a lift and I’d imagine the noise levels in the park Sunday will be electrifying.”
Bearing all that in mind does Eibhear feel the pressure to deliver?
“There’s no pressure whatsoever. It’s a privilege to be in this position. We grew up on stories of 1988. Everybody talks about it whenever hurling is discussed. The game of hurling is everything to the people of Feakle. Plenty of clubs in Clare have more members than we have people but that just strengthens the connection we have as a group. I look around our dressing room before every match and a calmness seems to just come over me because I know these are lads who will battle for every ball. These are lads you want and need when going into battle. We have all the ingredients to win it. We’ve a fantastic management team and there’s alot of trust between players and management when it comes to the game itself. We’ve plenty of mature players who can adapt to in game situations and that’s another great string to have in your bow.”
I remind him of Tony Kelly’s immortal line after lifting Liam McCarthy that in the Banner hurling is a religion and Brian Lohan is our God and ask will captain Oisin Donnellan have a line for the ages if they do manage to get over the line and lift a first Canon Hamilton in 36 years. His reply although said in jest speaks volumes of the calmness within this crop of players and their embracing of the occasion.
” In fairness to Tony it was one of the greatest lines ever given in a speech and one hundred percent Ger Conway is our god and I actually say my prayers to him every evening” he says roaring laughing “but seriously it would mean the world to all of us. I know Oisin won’t have given any thought to a potential speech. How can one prepare for that moment if it arrives? It would be the greatest moment in our lives and we as a group would forever be remembered by the wonderful people of Feakle.
“It’s what we’ve all worked so hard for and we have one fence to jump. It’s as big a fence as one would see in the Grand National but fences are there to be jumped and please God we get over the Sixmilebridge fence this weekend.”