Alex Leyden and Conor Rynne, right, of Ennistymon Community School, Clare, ahead of their team's Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools C Football Final against St Clares Comprehensive School, Leitrim, during the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Finals Captains Call at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile.
By John Harrington
Three years ago Ennistymon CBS suffered the double heart-break of losing two All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Finals in the space of a week.
They were beaten by Heywood CS in the All-Ireland ‘C’ Football Final and then, even more agonisingly, by Coláiste Naomh Cormac in the All-Ireland ‘C’ Hurling Final the following weekend when they conceded a last minute goal.
Tara Rynne manged both of those Ennistymon CBS teams and the memory of the double defeat still makes her grimace.
Three years on, she’s hoping it’ll be third time lucky when the Ennistymon Community School team she manages with Lawrence Healy plays St. Clare’s Comprehensive Manorhamilton in this year’s All-Ireland ‘C’ Football Final.
This isn’t a redemption story though. The slate is clean because, as you might have noticed, the CBS is now a CS.
In 2023 they amalgamated with Ennistymon Vocational School and Scoil Mhuire, so this is a chance for the new community school to write their own story.
This run to Saturday’s All-Ireland Final has been a nice cause for everyone to rally behind to help give the new school a real sense of self.
“That's it exactly,” says Rynne. “Because when you go to a new school you have to find your feet and find what's important so it's good that we have brought good coverage to the sport and the importance of sport. It's good to take part and it's good to be successful.
“It's a great achievement the school to make the final and it gives huge encouragement for the other teams, the younger lads and the younger girls, to strive to be successful.
“There's a great spirit about the school and a very good community there as well. We've been given lots of support and encouragement from everyone around. Everyone is excited for the match and everyone knows it's happening.
“It's great that you do have that sort of backing on big days like this.”
Alex Leyden and Conor Rynne, right, of Ennistymon Community School, Clare, ahead of their team's Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools C Football Final against St Clares Comprehensive School, Leitrim, during the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Finals Captains Call at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile.
The schools draws its players from strong clubs like Ennistymon, Corofin, Milltown, Inagh, Kilmaley, and St. Breckan’s, but their run to Saturday’s All-Ireland Final has been a pleasant surprise nonetheless.
“This kind of came out of the blue for us really,” admits Rynne. “Each of our games we were just hoping to go out and win and get another day out and then suddenly we were in a Munster Final.
“After winning that we had only a week to the All-Ireland semi-final and now we're here getting ready for an All-Ireland Final.
“We definitely have a very committed, dedicated, and determined bunch of players. They're great for coming training and producing their best performance on the match-day.
“We're just delighted that we are here, It's all come together really well. They get on very well together and there's a very good bunch of them there.”
You can be sure winning on Saturday would be extra-sweet for Rynne after the heartbreak of those two All-Ireland defeats three years ago, but she’s not the type to make it about herself.
What motivates her is to give this group of footballers the very best opportunity to achieve something special for themselves.
“We lost two All-Ireland Finals three years ago but every year is a different bunch of players and it would be just unbelievable for the lads if they could do it because they have put such commitment in,” she says.
“It would be great to see them get some reward at the end of it for that commitment.”
Saturday, March 8
Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Dr. Eamonn O Sullivan Cup Senior C Football
Ennistymon Community School v St. Clare's Comprehensive, Manorhamilton, Tuam Stadium, 1pm.
Live match stream here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l_nacgkx5w