Cameroon timber THERE is a special love for his club and last month he steered them to their 31st county title.
Published: 7:00, 2 Nov 2023 ÉIRE ÓG boss Turlough O’Brien believes nothing compares to managing his own club.
Barrowside great O’Brien led a rise in Carlow fortunes during his six seasons as county gaffer.
2
Turlough O’Brien celebrates with Benny Kavanagh after the Carlow County Senior Club Football Championship final match between Tinryland and Éire Óg le on Sunday
2
Éire Óg manager Turlough O’Brien guided his side to their 31st county title
He stepped away in 2020 but not before a memorable 2018 season saw them promoted from Division 4 for the first time in 33 years before they stunned Kildare in the Leinster SFC.
But there is a unique love for his club and last month he steered them to their 31st county title.
They now welcome All-Ireland and Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes to Netwatch Cullen Park in Saturday’s Leinster quarter-final.
And O’Brien says the daunting clash will really drive them on — irrespective of the scoreline.
read more on gaa
On his unique admiration for the post he is currently in, O’Brien told SunSport: “I don’t think I’d get the same satisfaction from being involved with anyone besides my own club.
“We are training as frequently as most county teams. All ambitious senior clubs are preparing at a very high level anyway, we are no different and we take it every bit as seriously.
“It will be a great learning experience for our lads and we’re hoping it will be the making of this team — regardless of the result.
“We’ve always been competitive in Leinster and in previous years we’ve been very unlucky not to progress further.
Most read in GAA Football
“We are still considered a minnow as a county but here we are playing the All-Ireland champions. It’s one to relish.”
Éire Óg won five provincial titles in seven seasons between 1992 and 1998 and refused to die in a breathtaking trilogy with this weekend’s opponents on the way to glory 25 years ago.
A new team is taking shape under O’Brien and they dismissed Laois kingpins St Joseph’s in a first-round thriller which finished 2-18 to 3-13 after extra-time.
Crokes, chasing their third Leinster crown in a row, will be a different kettle of fish but O’Brien cannot wait to welcome Robbie Brennan’s men.
He said: “It’s a fantastic fixture for us and we’ve rebuilt a new team. We have a lot of young lads and they need to be playing a higher level of competition to improve. So far, so good.
“We had a really good performance against St Joseph’s and it was a fantastic game of football.
“Everyone has been crying about the quality of football in the club championships, especially here in Carlow.
“But that game was one of the best in the last decade. It went to extra-time and was a rollercoaster.”
Key hitman Ross Dunphy was recently named on the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year, while the club had nine different scorers against St Joseph’s last time out.
Crokes have Galway hotshot Shane Walsh and Dublin talisman Paul Mannion to call on but O’Brien has plenty of shooters too.
He said: “We have quite a potent forward line. They have shown great composure and never panic and have got us out of a few tight holes.
“Crokes are obviously the All-Ireland champions but a greater measure of their quality is that they are three-in-a-row Dublin champions.
“They don’t waste many opportunities and don’t panic either, but we are really looking forward to it.”