Connaughton ready to scratch 27-year itch
St. Dominic's joint captains, Micheál Byrne and Naos Connaughton, looking forward to the challenge of facing Four Roads in Sunday's senior hurling final at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
It doesn’t take Naos Connaughton long to lay his cards on the table — or more specifically his love for hurling, and what it means to be a St. Dominic’s player.
The joint captain was a mascot for the club’s last success in 1999. As an eight-year-old, he worshiped the ground the likes of Liam Murray and Enda Gormley walked on.
In a couple of months’ time, he’ll be 36 years of age, so he’s acutely aware that there’s a 27-year itch that needs scratching.
“Hopefully it's this year, you never know. The lift that (success in 1999) gave everyone in the club at the time, it's a long time coming.
“This might be my 19th year playing senior hurling, but it will only be my second final,” stated the joint captain.
Connaughton’s introduction to hurling was miles removed from the vibrancy that permeates through the club today.
“I'd say I could have counted on one hand the amount of wins I had in the first ten years of my career. Dominic’s were really struggling there for a long time. It comes back to people like Thady (Beirne), people in the club who were there for years, driving it on. We wouldn't be where we are now (without them).
“Where we've come from, it's not long ago that senior hurling wasn't serious here. We couldn't get an executive together. A few players ended up taking it over — myself and Jason (Martin) were on the committee at the time, Robbie Byrne, Declan Dowling. That's only four or five years ago.
“It kind of makes me think, is that what it was like 27 years ago when we were playing? I hope we can get over that last hurdle and give back to the club what they probably deserve. Hopefully, we can get there. But Four Roads is Four Roads,” he warned.
And with that, Connaughton acknowledges that he has a family connection with Sunday’s opponents who have been brilliant ambassadors for Roscommon hurling. Two years ago, however, Dominic’s had them where they wanted them but a storming finish by the champions — at a time when Connaughton was off the field injured — left the Dom’s gutted.
“My whole family is from Four Roads. My cousin is manager, my first cousin is trainer. I have three or four cousins playing on the team, they don't start hurling until September. They won't even consider what happens in a group game as important,” he noted, referring to Dominic’s 3-14 to 2-14 victory over the Tisrara men in the opening round of this year’s championship.
“We lost two games in the group, and we still ended up in the county final. We’re blessed to be here now and looking forward to it. The lads are training hard. We’re looking forward to trying to give a rattle at Four Roads,” he continued.
After their semi-final victory Tremane, a huddle soon after the final whistle showed that Dominic’s focus had quickly switched towards Sunday’s final.
“We were just talking about our own standards and where we set our standards. It doesn't matter who you play. Any single team in Roscommon can beat any team on their day.
“No matter what game it is, you just have to get your fundamentals right. If you can work as hard as you can and it doesn't go your way, at least you come off at the end and say, do you know what, I gave it my all.
“That's probably the most disappointing thing from two years ago for most of us. We worked hard on the day, and probably didn't get the rub of the green.”
So, with all that in mind, what would it mean for the mascot in 1999 to get his hands on the Mickey Cunniffe Cup alongside Micheál Byrne on Sunday afternoon?
“It's probably going to be the pinnacle of my sporting career. Of all the stuff we've won, Nickey Rackards, individual awards, I've won colleges titles, I've won Connacht U-21s with Roscommon footballers, I've won lots of stuff in my career.
“But just to win this with the lads I play with, it would mean everything to me,” he concluded.
