DURING HIS TIME at University of Limerick, Gary Brennan suspected that being a footballer from Clare did not represent valuable currency.
It was 2007 and the midfielder from the Ballyea club was in second year, studying to be a PE and Irish teacher. Due to his club and county commitments, that was his one and only Sigerson Cup campaign with the college. But, just like his UL teammates, Brennan wanted to help the team improve their record in the third-level championship.
UL boasts a proud GAA tradition, and is prominently on the roll of honour in the competitions across the four codes. But their Sigerson Cup cupboard is surprisingly bare.
In fact, UL has only ever reached the final twice, including last year’s decider where they lost out to University of Galway. Tomorrow night’s showpiece against UCC will be final appearance number three for the Limerick university.
“It was a thing that we wanted to bridge that gap,” Brennan tells The42 on the eve of the 2023 Sigerson Cup final which will take place in Carriganore in Waterford.
“We were anxious to try and get to the weekend that time and it was always felt that the players were there in UL but UL wasn’t back until late January and that didn’t help. There was always talent but it just didn’t knit together the way it could have.”
UL booked their place in this year’s final after an emphatic win over DCU last week. Declan Brouder’s side slammed three goals past their Dublin opposition, two of which were supplied by emerging Clare stars Ciarán Downes from Kilmihil and Aaron Griffin from Liyssycasey. The pair finished the game as the top-scorers, hitting a combined 2-4 from play.
Three other talents from the Banner started for UL in that semi-final, as Daniel Walsh played in the half-back line while Ikem Ugweuru from Éire ÓG in Ennis and Emmet McMahon from Kildysart joined Downes and Griffin in the forwards. Brian McNamara of the Cooraclare club was introduced for Ugweuru in the second half.
Additionally, Walsh, Downes and McMahon featured for UL in last year’s Sigerson Cup final. And in more recent years, Clare footballers have played on winning Sigerson Cup sides. Éire Óg Ennis duo Eimhin Courtney and Conal O’Hainifin triumphed with UCC in 2019, while Mark McInerney was part of the victorious University of Galway squad who prevailed in last year’s final.
That’s a thick spread of representation for the county in modern times of the Sigerson Cup team, and Brennan worked with some of the current UL players when they attended the famous St Flannan’s College where he teaches.
“It’s a new thing for Clare to have so many involved. Emmet McMahon played with us in Flannan’s. He was in school in Kildysart and moved in to Flannan’s in TY. You could see the potential he had and thankfully, he’s following through with that. And playing very well with Clare also.
“Ikem Ugweuru was also in Flannan’s, Ciarán Downes has been a really good club player for Kilmihil the last couple of years, and is trying to break through in Clare.
“Ikem has played AIL rugby with Shannon. They’re very good athletes and they’re good guys who are looking to get the best out of themselves. It’s a good sign for Clare football that we have so many involved because it was a concern for a long time that we never had players competing at this level. If they can bring that back to their clubs and the county, they’ll hopefully keep raising the standard.
“In previous years, guys who we thought had potential might not be getting their opportunity in their college teams, but whether it’s because our standards have raised or Clare regularly competing in Division 2, that maybe we’re looked on a bit differently.
“Clare actually have a strong connection with UL: Brian Carson is a lecturer in UL and a Sigerson coach.
“I would have felt during my time in UL, that being a Clare footballer was almost a negative. Managers and coaches were looking at guys from the bigger counties but perhaps now, being a Clare player means more than in those times.”
Fixture scheduling constraints prompt major discussions around this time every year. Running third-level competitions alongside the Allianz Leagues cause issues with player availability, a problem which often leads to player overload. Downes, Walsh, McMahon, Ugweuru and Griffin all featured in Clare’s recent defeat to Meath, while also maintaining their commitment to UL.
Next Sunday sees Clare back out in league action in Ennis when they entertain Kildare.
Meath manager Colm O’Rourke recently suggested rescheduling the Sigerson Cup to run in conjunction with the pre-season competitions, and Brennan agrees with that proposition.
“If I had the solution, I’d have a big job up in Croke Park,” Brennan laughs. “In fairness to Colm O’Rourke, he made a reasonable suggestion to play it in January. So, then the college players don’t need to play the pre-season competitions for their county.
“It does create an imbalance. It’s positive for players and can add to their quality but it’s not the most balanced system. It’s hard to find a solution. These guys are young and fit and they love playing the games, but the amount of load they’re being asked to do is potentially dangerous to the players. I would certainly try and move it.”
Brennan will be attending the Sigerson Cup final tomorrow night, hoping to see his former team end the long wait to be champions.
“They’ll take a lot of confidence from the win against Galway,” he says of UL’s chances.
“Anytime you beat the reigning champions, even with the student turnover, it would give a team confidence. You often see it in a competition where a team gets beaten in the final and the hunger and desire to get back to that stage drives them on.”
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