By Cian O’Connell

The highly regarded Joe Fortune has enjoyed more than two decades coaching and developing hurling teams at every level in Dublin.

It is why the sense of excitement attached to Sunday’s Dublin SHC semi-final between Ballyboden St Enda’s and Na Fianna is genuine.

Fortune is in his third year in charge of Boden, who claimed capital glory in 2018, but the desire to improve further always matters.

“You are driving across the M50 going to training with the sun shining,” Fortune says about these weeks with matches arriving thick and fast.

A heavy opening group game loss to Kilmacud Crokes could have flattened another outfit, but Ballyboden have demonstrated real resolve returning to the penultimate round.

“Maybe after the initial game we had, people mightn't have given us a chance to reach the knockout stages, but we are delighted to be on the road, looking forward to the weekend, up against a very good Na Fianna team.

“It has been admirable from the players. The work we have put in since we played Crokes, I put it massively down to the players, and the approach that they take. I'm lucky enough to have a very good management team with Malachy Travers, Andy Coffey, Mickey McCullough.

“We all look for an element of the players driving this and they have been, they have taken ownership of it in the last couple of weeks.

“Like I said to them we've had a couple of games now where we have performed well at times. It is now all about the weekend, making sure we put in a positive performance on Sunday against Na Fianna.”

Wexford native Fortune, a school teacher in Malahide, is ideally placed to assess the current health of senior club fare in Dublin.

“I've been lucky enough to be involved in a capacity with Dublin minors, who won a Leinster final in 2007, we had an Under 21 team that was successful in '16 so I've had a lot of the players that are performing really well, at a high level with their clubs,” Fortune replies.

“The club game is very healthy at the moment. I suppose each of the four teams going into the semi-finals will really believe that they have a serious shot in what has been a very stop start year. We are lucky, though, that we are playing hurling.

“A lot of families have went through an awful lot, players have gone through an awful lot over the last five or six months. We are lucky now to be at a stage where not only we are in a semi-final, but we are also trying to lift the spirits of the clubs being represented by ourselves, Lucan, Na Fianna, and Cuala too.

“We are in a good position all four teams and each of us will have a fair shot at the weekend. When you look at results from around the country in the last few weeks, Ballygunner had a great win obviously in Waterford, but you have teams that have been surprise packages coming through.

“It is a strange year, but as an entity we are quite lucky to be keeping going. Every game could be your last. It is a significant year and we are focusing on getting a performance out of our lads on Sunday.”

Undoubtedly 2020 has been an exacting year in so many ways, but Fortune acknowledges the value and relevance of sport too.

“Massively, some of our players over the course of the lockdown for different reasons had sad stories, families were affected not only by Covid, but other issues too,” Fortune states.

“Playing the games now and I would always talk to teams I look after that there is life outside hurling and you have to have that balance too.

“What hurts at the minute is the real, genuine club people from Cuala, Lucan, ourselves, and Na Fianna aren't getting the opportunity to see these big games. We would have serious stalwart people that have a massive tradition of going to games, same as all of the clubs. I feel for them.

“We are lucky enough that the whole streaming idea has caught fire and it gives them an opportunity to see the game, but it isn't the same. You are in Parnell Park where it is desolate, a stadium like that.

“The Dublin County Board have to be commended in how they have approached the whole thing, the safety of the players is so important.

“I still feel for the real stalwarts, who are at every game, League and challenge, driving the team on. That is missing a small bit, but our focus, whether there is nobody or 10,000, is about winning the game on Sunday.”

A meaningful connection has been forged between Fortune and Ballyboden with the respect mutual.

“I've said to the lads on a number of occasions that I'm very proud to be the manager of the club, a very strong and traditional club in both codes,” Fortune remarks.

“They came looking to see whether I would be interested and we had a great run in '18, we won a Dublin County Final and got to a Leinster Final against a great Ballyhale team. We've had some great days with them, a strong and traditional club.

“When you become part of it, you become part of them too. I've really enjoyed the three years I've been there so far. As we say in every aspect of sport, it is great and positive when you are winning. At the moment we are on the right side of it and we are looking forward to the semi-final.”

Na Fianna’s underage triumphs suggest that they have the pedigree and potential to make an impact in the top tier.

“I'd be under no illusion that Na Fianna have to be seen as favourites with the type of player and forward unit that they have,” Fortune adds.

“It is a case that at some stage Na Fianna are going to come good with the underage talent they have. We saw what happened with Lucan, the performance they put in against Kilmacud.

“Willie Maher has Cuala flying too. I'm under no illusion, these years are great, and I love what I do, I'm very proud to be associated with the lads, a great group of players.

“I've a great captain in Simon Lambert and some really strong characters. The Keaneys, Curtins, and Durkins of this world, you don't come across them too often so I'm lucky to be involved with a good group of players.

“At the end of the day we will give everything we have to Sunday, I wouldn't expect anything less from this group of players. I'm really enjoying it, a strange year, the lack of League action and the opportunity to see other players is missed, but I'm dying for road on Sunday.”

Ultimately, Fortune continues to derive pleasure from hurling and the possibilities which exist. Doors have opened, opportunities crafted since commencing teaching in Malahide back in 1999.

“I got an opportunity to get involved in the initial stages of a development squad in 2003-2004,” Fortune explains.

“The minor team I eventually had I started at Under 13 and 14 level. I was with Dwain Moore and Eimear Dignam at the time, the lads that came through would have backed up Dublin teams - Paul Schutte, Oisin Gough, David Treacy, Jonny Cooper, Peter Kelly, Finn McGarry, and Barry O’Rorke.

“We had a very strong minor team, we fell on a dirty night in Portlaoise in an All Ireland semi-final against Cork. I've been lucky to get opportunities with the Dublin County Board from John Costello, I've always been privileged to be involved with Dublin, the same as I am with Ballyboden.

“I love what I do, I'm very passionate about what I do. It is though, at the end of the day a results business when it comes down to this part of the year. It is all about enjoying it, but making sure you are developing players as much as possible too.

“Over the course of the time I've been in Dublin coaching I've been lucky enough to deal with a lot of very good players.

“I think the standard of club hurling in Dublin is very high in what has been a very fractured year. In the next couple of weeks Mattie Kenny will have the pick of the talent that is there and hopefully they can push on too in the autumn.”

Fortune’s part in the development of Dublin hurling shouldn’t be underestimated.