Two decades of county finals and still Kavanagh is hungry for more
Jack Kavanagh is looking to lead St Mullins to their 30th Carlow Senior Hurling title. Photo: Michael O'Rourke
In the light of Mount Leinster Rangers winning their first ever senior title in 2006, it can be forgotten that a young Jack Kavanagh netted two goals from corner forward in a 0-17 to 2-8 scoreline. He doesn’t need reminding that St Mullins were five points up in the second half and lost by three.
He has been an ever present in the club since then taking the rough and the smooth. It hurt him deeply to lose out in 2019 when he was suspended but his brother, Marty, delivered on the day when St Mullins prevailed by 2-17 to 1-19.
“Every time you get to a county final, you are looking forward to it. I suppose the two teams who have been there for the last twenty years are back in it again,” says Kavanagh.
“We will go at it again. We hope it will be a cracker. If one team is off the other team could punish them. It has happened in the past. More often than not, it is a tight game. There is a lot at stake,” says the St Mullins man who wears his heart on his sleeve every time he pulls on the green jersey.
The early league form would have suggested St Mullins were not in a good place. Particularly when Rangers beat them well.
“We are absolutely looking forward to it. We were hot and cold during the league campaign. I suppose it came right in the semi-final,” pointed out Kavanagh.
Ballinkillen came from behind when the two met in the opening group game and were good value for their win. But yet when it came to the semi-final between the same sides, St Mullins turned that result around. Kavanagh says there were good reasons for the lack of early season form.
“I suppose us as well as other teams lads were here and there. Lads were going away on holidays. It was hard to get into a rhythm. We were still six points up at half-time in that game but Ballinkillen were a different team in the second half and beat us well. It was a big swing and for us to go and beat them by sixteen points in the semi-final was a big swing. We all clicked that day and Ballinkillen were below par by their own standards which they have set themselves,” the St Mullins man points out.
He goes on to say that you can put little trust into the previous outing of any side in the championship.
“If you were to meet Ballinkillen in a county final again next Saturday, I think there would not be that margin in it. Some days you have those days.
“We stuck to our guns. We got everyone back to the field. We got everyone back fit and that drives standards in training. That improves your hurling. You have to bring it across the white line in Dr Cullen Park on semi-final day and luckily that came to fruition for us.”
The 5-24 to 0-15 fourth round drubbing from Rangers this year was a different matter.
“We were hurt over that. We didn’t go out for that to happen,” says an adamant Jack Kavanagh.
“Some people were saying we were not trying. We were trying and we were not happy with that. It is what it is now and we leave it in the past. We would be hoping it won’t be happening next Saturday evening. It wasn’t on the cards and we have had to take it on the chin and move on with it.”
And so is there any concerns in the camp before the weekend?
“A few niggles but bar anything major, lads will be pulling on the boots on Saturday. A few painkillers and what-not will get you through sixty minutes. No injury worries,” he says.
