Michael Carr is a blue chip Clarenbridge hurling man. He started playing for the club at 11 years of age and he has held most, if not all, roles within the club since then - from team manager at all levels to various officer positions in the club over the past 40 years.
Tomorrow afternoon will be one of his proudest days as he sees the club’s loyal supporters hoist their colours in the Hogan Stand as Paul Callinan leads the team out onto hallowed ground.
“It is a most fantastic occasion. It is a huge honour for us as a club to be in tomorrow’s final and to be chairman at such a time is a great personal pleasure. We are all praying the lads can bring the Tommy Moore cup back west to the Bridge.
“There is a great buzz all around the village and it has been building since the semi-final win over De La Salle. We just want to go on now and finish the job.”
Carr has been around long enough now to read the mood of a dressing room and a panel of players, and he is impressed with what he sees.
“The mood is very positive and they are a wonderful bunch of lads. They don’t know when they are beaten and you have to be in the dressing room to see the belief they have. They are made of the right stuff and they are great characters. There is a nice mixture in the panel, from young lads to the more experienced ones. Guys like Mark Kerins, who has been one of the most consistent hurlers in the club in my lifetime, have given great leadership, and there are many others like him leading from the front.
“The management team has done a superb job over the past year or two. The success we have had this year did not happen overnight and it takes time and effort to get to where we are on Thursday. Thankfully, there is great unity in the whole set-up. We will go up on the day and even the Miwadi Express will probably be late home if we are lucky enough to win.
“Michéal [Donoghue] has done a terrific job. He was a marvellous hurler himself and would probably be playing tomorrow only for injury. But the fact that he had to give up the game has turned out to be a positive in some regards as he is such a tremendous team manager.”
What would it mean to Michael Carr if Clarenbridge win the All-Ireland senior final on St Patrick’s day 2011?
“Well, I could die a happy man.”
