What a difference a decade makes

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield stunned Clare football when they beat Doonbeg by a point in the championship quarter-final. That day Colm Mullen showed his big match temperament is still intact when he stroked over the winning point. Five years living and working in the US and Australia hadn’t dulled his love of the club, be it as a footballer or hurler.
“I’d often contemplated coming home for a couple of games. That didn’t pan out but I really missed it and it was great to get back into it. I came back into a different club in a lot of ways. The success was gone and we were struggling in both codes.
“Having said that, we knew that the talent was there, definitely with the footballers. It was just a matter of getting it out of the squad that was here. It’s great that we have done that and I’m glad to be part of it,” he smiled.
Before St Joseph’s beat Shannon Gaels in their third group game, their priority was to avoid becoming embroiled in a relegation semi-final.
“After the Gaels game we found out the way we could play football. We’ve worked on that and I suppose the belief is there now. We did think before that game that we were one of the basement teams but once the belief comes in, you’re going to be a contender. That’s what we are now,” the St Joseph’s dual player added.
Off and on the field, Doora-Barefield have had several motivations driving them throughout 2011.
“A lot of things have driven us on this year. Personal reasons and everything. That has helped us to improve in every game, once we got going. That’s the way it has gone in the last three games since the Gaels game and we hope that we improve again for the final,” Mullen said.
He is hoping the post match atmosphere after their defeat of Doonbeg will be replicated come 5pm on Sunday.
“In the dressing room after the game, I don’t think anyone really wanted to leave. It was a bogey off our back. No one wanted to leave that dressing room,” he recalled.
Colm Mullen last played in a county hurling final in 2001. At the time he expected there would be plenty more finals ahead, though perhaps not on the football field.
“You’re 20 years of age and you think you’re going to play in another ten finals. But that was the last one I ever played in. I didn’t think I’d have any more, especially one in football,” he surmised.
Perhaps ‘Mulley’ is showing his experience but he feels that Kilmurry are under pressure to deliver.
“The pressure is on Kilmurry. We’ve nothing to lose. James (Hanrahan) is going to have us well prepared. A lot of us have been involved in hurling finals so we know how to handle the day. I don’t see any problems there. If we can help the young fellas in any way we can, to cope with the day, we will. It’s Kilmurry’s to lose,” he suggested.
Considering how close St Joseph’s were to exiting the championship at the group stage, Mullen admits he sometimes can’t believe that they are about to take part in a county football final. 
“If you talked to us a six weeks ago, you’d have got some odds on us being here,” he said.