Cillian Fitzgerald looks to emulate big brother Fionn and win Munster medal
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Wednesday March 03 2010
IT'S not easy for anyone to try and follow in their brother's footsteps, but that's exactly what Dr Crokes' Cillian Fitzgerald will attempt to do this Sunday in Knocknagree as he looks to emulate his older brother Fionn's (also a former Kerry minor) achievement of winning a Corn Uí Mhuirí medal with the Sem two years ago. However, he admits to not having spoke too much about it. "Fionn's up in college in Galway so we haven't had too much of a chance to talk about it, but it would be nice to follow in his footsteps alright," Cillian told The Kerryman.
When you consider Cillian occupies the same defensive berth in the half-back line as his brother has done in the past, you can instantly begin to notice the similarities between both.
While the talk at the start of the Corn Uí Mhuirí campaign had been about Colaiste Na Sceilge making it backto-back titles or Tralee CBS returning to the summit, the Sem quietly slipped in under the radar up until their phenomenal semi-final victory over the defending champions, but Fitzgerald feels it was in the quarter-final game against St Flannans of Ennis where the school laid down a real marker of their intentions.
" We had a great second-half that day and it really gave us a lot of confidence. We're a good bunch, a good unit and we really believe in ourselves so we're just hoping that we can do it now (win the Corn Ui Mhuiri)," he said.
Looking at the semifinal victory over Na Sceilge in closer detail, the Dr Crokes player believes it was a combination of the first 10 minutes of the match and the last 10 minutes that won the game for them.
" We had an unbelievable start and maybe going in six points up did give us a false sense of security.
"They really came back at us in the second half but thankfully we were able to hold them off. We knew how tough of a test it would be considering the success they had last year and thankfully we stood up to it (the pressure)," Fitzgerald said of the semi-final.
Club success has been pretty thin on the ground for the Sem defender considering the dominance of Kilcummin and Legion in his particular age group and he says to do a Munster Colleges double would be a nice tonic.
"I've won a Moran Cup with the school so a Corn Uí Mhuirí medal would be a nice double to complete," he said.
What sort of an input has 'Footballer of the Year' Paul Galvin had into the team set-up this year?
"He's been brilliant and he really has taught me and the rest of the lads an awful lot. His training is very good, he gets us very motivated and he knows his stuff!"
Finally where does Fitzgerald feel the game could be won or lost this weekend?
"It's a tough one. I felt we kind of lost our shape there for a period in the second half during the semi-final so we definitely have to sharpen up there. Like anything, you hope that if you do everything right then it will stand to you at the final whistle."
- Jason O'Connor
