April Rebel Og Award for MITCHELSTOWN CBS FOOTBALLERS

Winners of Munster and All-Ireland Colleges Senior C Football Titles

The April winners of the Rebel Óg Monthly Awards for 2016 sponsored by the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cummins Sports (Award Sponsors) with RedFM and Irish Examiner Media Partners are MITCHELSTOWN CBS. They follow the January, February and March 2016 winners Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál Blarney, Kilmurry Footballers and Buttevant Underage GAA Club plus 2015 winners, Ahán Gaels, Midleton U15 Footballers, Cork’s Eimear Scally, Aghabullogue U16 Hurlers, Cork U15 Development Squad, Douglas U14 Footballers, St. Finbarrs U14 Hurlers, Christian Brothers Cork, Coláiste Chríost Rí, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh (Camogie) Sacred Heart Clonakilty (Camogie) and Ilen Rovers.

MITCHELSTOWN CBS

Mitchelstown CBS was founded in 1857 by the Christian Brothers, who arrived in the town at the invitation of the Parish Priest. Within weeks the total number of students exceeded 300, with primary and secondary students accommodated in the same buildings. The first public exams took place in the school in January 1866. Numbers continued to grow and in 1949 a separate Primary school was built. In 1970 work began on what is now the CBS Secondary school building, with a new permanent extension added in 2007. The school has a current enrolment of 320 boys, from Mitchelstown and the surrounding parishes.

For many years Gaelic games have featured as an important part of school life in Mitchelstown CBS, with many former pupils in turn going on to make valuable contribution to their clubs in the surrounding areas. There have been many successes over the years since the era of Br. O’Gorman and Bob Honohan in the early seventies. Under their stewardship and guidance, the school achieved honours at almost every age-grade, with the capture of the Corn Ui Mhuiri in 1975-76 a highlight.

A link with that team remains central to Gaelic games in the school in the presence of teacher and coach Mr. Willie Duggan. Under his guidance the school won county titles in 1985 and 1986, and Munster titles in 1986 and 1987. In 1991 he steered the school senior team to capture the Corn an Runaí for the first time since 1972. The school’s first Munster title in hurling was captured in 2004.

Recent years have seen further success and participation in county and provincial competitions in both codes. 2009 saw the school achieve victory in three competitions:U-15 hurling, U-18 ½ Cork colleges football and U-16 Cork colleges football. In 2010 the school completed a double in Cork colleges, winning the U-16 B hurling and football titles, a feat repeated in 2014. In 2011 the U-14 footballers were winners of the Cork Colleges football title, while the Munster Under 16 ½ hurling title was annexed in 2014/15. With many from strong local clubs attending the school, Mitchelstown CBS also participates in schools handball and has a number of County champions at present.

Defeats this year in both the Munster (C) Under 16 ½ hurling and 18 ½ (B) hurling finals made the senior footballers’ Munster and All-Ireland victories all the sweeter.

The team is coached and mentored by long-serving staff member Mr. Willie Duggan and by Mr. Cillian Bohane, the school’s PE teacher.

The senior football campaign 2015/16 got off to the best of starts with emphatic victories over Ennistymon CBS on a scoreline of 3-15 to 0-06, and over Douglas C.S. by 5-09 to 0-03. Mitchelstown CBS faced familiar foes Patrician Academy Mallow in the quarter-final and emerged victorious on a scoreline of 2-17 to 1-05. The journey to Rathkeale was a familiar win for us this year, and it hosted what was undoubtedly the toughest game of the campaign – the Munster semi-final win over Lisdoonvarna. Mitchelstown CBS trailed their Clare opponents for much of the game, but a strong second half display saw them overcome the deficit and win by two points, 0-13 to 2-05. It was back to Rathkeale again for the Munster final, in which they faced Kerry opponents for the first time in the campaign. Mitchelstown CBS dominated from the off against Presentation Milltown and had 15 points to spare in the end, winning 4-10 to 1-04.

The All-Ireland semi-final was played on the all-weather surface at Heywood C.S. Co. Laois, and the first half between CBS and Dunshaughin C.S. was a very tight affair. Once again Mitchelstown CBS turned in a storming display in the second half and eventually ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 4-09 to 0-10. The All-Ireland final, played on Easter Saturday in Newbridge, pitted Mitchelstown CBS against St. Mark’s Warrenpoint. Mitchelstown controlled the first half, and enjoyed a four point lead as injury time approached. A very late goal by Warrenpoint ensured a nervous last few minutes but the CBS boys held out to win by the narrowest of margins, 0-11 to 1-07 and capture the first All-Ireland GAA title in the school’s history.

The team won the first All-Ireland title in the history of the school when they captured the Dr. Eamonn O'Sullivan Cup by beating St. Mark's Warrenpoint in the All-Ireland Senior C football final at Newbridge on March 26th.

This followed their successful Munster campaign, when defeats of Ennistymon, Douglas, Academy (Mallow), Lisdoonvarna and Presentation Milltown saw them capture Corn Sheain Ui Mhurchu. They defeated Dunshaughlin C.S. from Co. Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final, and survived a very late scare against Warrenpoint to win the final by one point. Many of this CBS team also featured in the Munster senior B hurling decider against The Abbey CBS earlier in March, while a number of the panel were part of the Under 16 1/2 hurling team that lost at the death in the Munster final to St. Colman's Midleton earlier this year.

The team is coached by teachers Mr. Willie Duggan and Mr. Cillian Bohane. The support the team, managers and indeed the school has received from the town, local parishes and the many GAA clubs represented on the team has been fantastic.

Quote from Colin English, Team Captain

It was a long campaign for us. Our toughest match was the Lisdoonvarna game in the Munster semi-final. It was great to get past such a quality team and in the way that we did it. It is a great feeling to have won the All-Ireland. So many teams set out at the start of the year but only one team can win it. It is my best sporting memory to date.

Quote from Cillian Bohane, Team Management

The lads were excellent throughout the year. We worked hard on our defence and all the lads bought into it. We knew we had the talent up front but throughout the season the defence was excellent.

Quote from Willie Duggan, Team Management

There is great character in this team. We worked hard, we fought hard. The final was a game of two halves. We probably won it with our first half performance, playing with the wind. I told Colin English (team captain) in September that he would lift the All-Ireland Cup in the Spring and I am delighted and proud that it has happened.

Quote from Mary Hannon, Principal

The All-Ireland title is a historic first for the school, and indeed for the town. It is the culmination of much hard work, both by players and managers. We are very proud of them and of their achievements. Credit also to those who have helped shape the team and players – their club coaches, their primary schools and our own Mr. Conor O’Leary who coached them in junior cycle. The support from the entire community for the boys was incredible, both through the campaign and on the night of the homecoming, and as a school we are very grateful to all involved for it.

Mitchelstown CBS Football Team – winners of the Munster & All-Ireland Colleges Senior C Football Title