Border hotspot flying the Offaly flag proudly despite challenging obstacles

IT has been a dream year for Carrig-Riverstown as they prepare for a Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship final against crack Kilkenny outfit Tollogher-Rosbercon in O'Connor Park on Saturday next. However, the enormity of their achievements, the odds they have surmounted only become truly apparent during a very revealing conversation with their manager, Paul Murphy.

The Offaly GAA community are very familiar with the name of Carrig-Riverstown. The club find themselves in the invidious, anomalous position of being across the county boundary in Tipperary but have been playing in Offaly since 1914 – on the flip side of this very double edged coin, Moneygall which is in Offaly has been playing in Tipperary since 1912 and the status of both these areas is firmly entrenched on the Offaly GAA psyche.

There is an absolutely intriguing history to the border areas in Offaly, not just in Moneygall, Carrig-Riverstown, Ballyskenach, Shinrone and all across the Tipperary line – it is equally as powerful on the Laois border at Gracefield-Portarlington, the Westmeath border at Tubber-Rosemount, Clara-Horseleap and Doon-Ballinahown and most acrimoniously, the Meath border at Clonmore Harps-Ballinabrackey.

All of that is a story for another day but Carrig-Riverstown have been a big part of the Offaly GAA scene for over a 100 years and even before that, players from the area regularly lined out for Birr. It is in Birr parish and like the other club in the parish, Crinkle have found themselves at loggerheads with the big club there, Birr at various stages over the years in recent decades – though not to the same extent or ferocity as their neighbours in Crinkle.

They have supplied Offaly hurlers at all levels over the years. Their most famous, Ger Oakley was a lion hearted Offaly warrior for several years from the late 1990s through to 2010s, winning an All-Ireland senior hurling medal in 1998. Martin Cashen won Leinster senior hurling medals with Offaly in 1980 and 1981, an All-Ireland senior hurling medal in 1981 and has done trojan work for the county in recent years as Coaching Officer and a selector under Leo O'Connor on the outstanding minor and U-20 hurling teams in 2022 and 2023.

Currently a Carrig-Riverstown selector, Ger Oakley very much wore his heart on his sleeve, his loyalty to the Offaly cause beyond even the slightest question – it the same with Cashen and so many others in the area. Yet there are others in the area who support Carrig-Riverstown but regard themselves very much as Tipperary people and this has manifested itself in various ways over the years. That is occasionally like a red rag to a bull to their neighbouring clubs in south Offaly – but the club and area deserve complete respect for where they are, what they do for Offaly and it is an intriguing story. 

New players have continued to fly the Offaly flag at a very high level. Two of their best players, Cathal King and Joe Hoctor were key players on the Offaly squad that went to the All-Ireland U-20 Hurling Championship final this year. Liam Hoare was the goalkeeper, Caelum Larkin an outstanding corner back on the Offaly team that suffered a devastating late defeat to Tipperary in the 2022 All-Ireland minor hurling final.

Their contribution to Offaly is considerable at the moment and with so many outstanding young players, it is not surprising to see them doing well – they have made great progress at underage level in recent years and with the help of players from Crinkle, competed very well when losing to a star studded Kilcormac-Killoughey side in the U-20 hurling final a few weeks ago.

They were clearly the best side in the Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship this year and have brought things to another level in the provincial campaign, doing really well to reach the final.

When former Birr hurler Paul Murphy surveyed the scene at their first meeting way back in January, he feared the worse. Last year, Carrig-Riverstown had fielded two teams, losing to Shamrocks in the intermediate hurling semi-final and Edenderry in the junior hurling quarter-final. They had upwards of 35 players but circumstances forced them to only field one team this year and an extraordinary bad run of injuries has seen the panel reduced to 20 players at the moment.

Fr Time finally caught up with some of the old hands. Ger Oakley played junior last year at 43 years of age but finally acknowledged that he had nothing more to give. Eoin Sullivan, Tadgh Sullivan, Paddy King, Paddy Power were other veterans to call it a day. “They all backboned the junior side. They were fantastic servants but were in their 40s and we couldn't field two teams without them,” pointed out the manager.

The travelling bug bit some of the younger generation. Aaron Dolan went to Australia, Shane Collins to Canada, Andrew Coakley to America. They had featured in intermediate last year. Another, Willie Gleeson, wing back in the semi-final defeat v Shamrocks, transferred to Trim where he is married and living. The centre half forward, Michael Kennedy took a year out for personal reasons.

In the midst of all this, the closely knit and very proud club was still dealing with the traumatic and tragic death of a talented player and hugely popular man, Aidan King in May 2022. That had a profound impact on the whole area and two of Aidan's first cousins, Cathal and Peter King (they are first cousins) are playing great stuff for Carrig-Riverstown at midfield this year.

“Aidan was a huge loss to us. He was wing back, a super guy and his passing was so hard for the club and his family,” Murphy reflected.

Conor McDowall did step up out of the minor grade, playing very well in their attack and scoring two goals in the semi-final win over Leixlip.

The return of Liam Hoare to the goals for the Leinster club game has been another boost. A very promising goalkeeper, Hoare hadn't played as he dealt with a much more important health battle but his return to training and then the team raised spirits.

That did create a dilemma as Shane O'Brien had played in goals throughout the Offaly championship and in the first round in Leinster. He had not put a foot wrong, playing very well and Murphy is grateful to him for the grace in which he accepted their decision.”It was a hard thing to do, not easy. Shane O'Brien is a fantastic guy and he never let us down. The decision was made in the four weeks from the Offaly final to the Leinster campaign. Liam was with St Brendan's Community School, Offaly Combined Schools and is still with Offaly U-20s. He was getting matches, Shane wasn't. Shane understood, he is still there and he is ready to step in. That is what you need.”

Carrig-Riverstown's hand was further weakened by a shocking run of injuries this year as their panel went from 24 to 20. Mark O'Brien, top scorer last year and their captain this year; John Cashen and Michael Kane all did their cruciate. Conor Freeman, home from Dubai, came off the bench in the Offaly final win over Coolderry to score a crucial point and helped drive them across the line. He went back to Dubai after that where he discovered he had done ligaments.

You really couldn't make it up and Murphy smiled: “Here we are in a Leinster final with all that. We have punched above our weight and I have only the height of praise for them. There is nine U-20s.”

With a vital more experienced cohort of Brendan Hoctor, Ross Connaughton, David Egan and Daniel England, the average age is still only 22-23.

Immediately after the win over Coolderry, their attention turned to Leinster. In fact, it had been spoken about in hushed tones earlier in the year. “We decided straight away we would give it a go. Even before that, we kept saying history is there to be made, records are there to be broken. We challenged them to win the first championship here since 1996 and to be the youngest. We tried to give them that belief. We took one week off after the county final but it has been full commitment since then and we never missed a training session.”

Even since then, Lady luck has not been with them. John Hanlon, a brother of wing back Cathal and son of club chairman Greg, had come on in every game, got injured while another panel member, Mark Reedy left the panel as he is working in Spain.

Yet they have kept on the road and Murphy is keen to pay tribute to his fellow back room team. He singled out strength and conditioning coach, Stephen Killeen, from Portumna. “He is a great guy, a new voice and he has been a breath of fresh air to us.”

The selectors are Mike Hoctor, Ger Oakley and a new addition this year, Mick Larkin – the father of Caelum who will be eligible to play next year. “It has been a huge effort collectively from everyone. So far, so good.”

Murphy is realistic enough to know that victory is a big ask on Sunday. He knows what Tollogher-Rosbercon have to offer, the presence of a Kilkenny stalwart in Walter Walsh, the attacking threat of Danny Gleeson, Gene O'Donoghue and others.

“They are lightening fast and they play at a high level of intensity. They are very strong, well balanced, typical Kilkenny. Walter Walsh is their main man but they are a well balanced team. We know we will have to rise another level or two but we are looking forward to the challenge. We hope to express ourselves and give a good account. At this time of year, pitches are heavy and it is a slower ball than normal. We have to try and keep ourselves in the game, win scoreable frees when we can and in a final., anything can happen. We have to believe that we are not there to make up the numbers and try and win.”

Carrig-Riverstown have played two of their three Leinster club games in Birr and tried to get the venue changed to there from O'Connor Park after winning the semi-final. Leinster Council, however, stated that provincial finals must be played in county grounds but it is not something that causes Murphy one bit of concern. They won the Offaly intermediate final in O'Connor Park and he said: “Birr is perfect for us, it is closer for our supporters but Tullamore is a fantastic stadium. Whether you like it or not, it is the home venue for Offaly clubs.”

Murphy managed Clodiagh Gaels to win the senior “B” hurling title in 2021 and went to Carrig-Riverstown the following year.

He knew they had decent prospects of winning an intermediate and is really enjoying his time there.

While across the bridge in Tipperary, Carrig-Riverstown is in Birr parish and Murphy is fully aware of the dynamic there. His respect for the players and GAA community there is obvious.

There are plenty of people in Carrig-Riverstown who would rather not talk, publicly at least, about their geographical location and all that goes with that. That is understandable but to write about Carrig-Riverstown in a Leinster final and not mention the Tipperary factor is to ignore the “elephant in the room”.

Ger Oakley had to deal with Judas signs being painted across the main road there during his heyday with the Offaly hurlers and even now at Offaly club games, you will meet Carrig-Riverstown supporters wearing Tipperary tops and jersies. You will see it at training sessions and it is just part of life there.

Asked did the club feel isolated and not respected in Offaly, the manager did not attempt to evade the question or throw out a generic response.

“They are on the Tipperary-Offaly border, we all know that. At my first training session there, I had fun with them, asking are we in Offaly or Tipperary? We all know they are an Offaly club, playing in the Offaly championships. There is woeful rivalry there between Birr and Carrig, Drumcullen and Carrig even. People look on them as Tipp. Lads' parents are from Tipp and have all sorts of connections. Plenty of people there support both Offaly and Tipperary. There is plenty of banter about it between Carrig-Riverstown and clubs in Offaly but as long as it stays between the four lines, no one minds.”

It was suggested that it had to be hard for people who regard themselves as Tipperary to have to play in Offaly and see their players wearing the Offaly jersey. “Absolutely, there are people living in Carrig who are born and bred Tipperary and support Tipperary. It can be tough but they always give 100%. They are a great small club. It was tough on Ger (Oakley) that time and we all know the service he gave to Offaly. He came on last year and scored two points at 43 years of age and if he could do that on Saturday, he would. He is a tremendous servant and the amount of work he does at underage level, with lads and camogie, is huge. He is there 7-11 and would do anything for you. It is all healthy there. They know they are hurling in the Offaly championship and they do their best for their club and parish.”

The provincial campaign has given a huge boost to the whole area. “It is huge and speaking to players individually, they are embracing every step of the journey and looking forward to the next challenge. They really believe in themselves. Realistically, we know we have to go up another level but we want a performance and if there is a chance, we hope to take it.”

He agreed that a defeat, even a bad one, won't detract from a fantastic year and that they are in bonus territory.

“We never speak about losing but if we do, it won't detract from anything. We always talk about how we can improve, what we will do if we are in a bad situation and the game is going from us. Who will stand up to be counted. It is December 9 and a Leinster final in O'Connor Park. Where else would you want to be. We want to give it our best and see where it takes us.”