Former paralympian and current Kilmurry Ibrickane selector James Murrihy readies himself for another big moment in his eventful sporting year.
By Jamesy Mc Conigley
Murrihy who recently returned from Rio after a successful Paralympics, hopes to continue his good fortunes and regain Jack Daly back to the West Clare seaside Parish, “We’re taking it one game at a time, when we got involved at the start of the year, our goal was the county championship.”
With the appointment of Odhran O’Dwyer and both Moloney’s Aidan Horse and Aidan Jnr , Kilmurry-Ibrickane haven’t lost a competitive game in 2016.
Murrihy, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer with the Irish Sports Council, is a former member of the Athletes Commission of Paralympics Ireland and also a board member of People with Disabilities in Clare. After three years with Corofin, James turned his attention to Rio but only one job could coax him back to Clare club football, “The Paralympic’s role, I knew I would be out of Ireland this year but having worked with horse before, it’s worked well.”
He added “Horse (Maloney) is the manager and it just worked with me helping with training, it’s a real hands on deck type of job.”
But it’s not just Horse he’s content with he’s pleased with the aid of Odhran O’Dwyer and Aidan ‘Pudding’ Maloney too. “They’re good lads, it’s great to have lads involved who were and still are playing, Odhran is still playing and Pudding only recently retired, there is management things they can relate to like players issues.”
With the news that Conor Mc Grath is out due to injury and the possibility of Conor Ryan also unavailable, Murrihy still isn’t under estimating Cratloe whatsoever. “Cratloe are a good side, we won a couple of titles on the turn of the decade, in 2011/12 and they took over the mantle in 2013/14.” Elephant like, Murrihy hasn’t forgotten that Podge Collins was absent last time these two met in 2015, Cratloe overcame Kilmurry-Ibrickane that day and Murrihy is conservative to think otherwise.
James has enjoyed playing for the Ireland CP Football team from 1995, including three World Championships and two Paralympic Games before his final tournament in 2010 and was delighted to be involved with the Irish side last month. “ I missed the Lissycasey game because I was out in Rio for 10 days.” he was happy with the recent medal haul his side obtained, “ it was a great achievement, the aim was 8 medals and we came back with 11 medal, any day you overachieve is a great day.”
Overachieving isn’t in Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s arsenal and adding another title to their attractive honours list since 1914 is not a dream anymore it’s a reality.