An Interview
with Moyvane and Feale Rangers John Mulvihill
Lockdown seems to have brought out the creative spark in people. With more free time on my hands I decided it was time to resurrect the sports blog and start off what I am affectionately going to call a series of Pods-casts!
First up is my good friend and one of Moyvane's top defenders over the years John Mulvihill. John is adamant that this interview should have taken place years ago when the blog was first active but sure good things come to those who wait!
The powers of Zoom meant that we had a good chat about his time in the game and his response to the "Start, Bench and Sell" game is well worth reading on for!
PS: John, thanks for taking the time for this interview. How has lockdown been treating you?
JM: (Laughing) It's like there is no lockdown here, it's all work and no play! Thankfully the weather has been good so I have been busy enough on the farm.. Like everyone else, we have watched a few series on Netflix. No spare time means less time to be thinking about the virus in general so that's a good thing
PS: What is your earliest sporting memory?
JM: Badminton and Football would have been my two main sports growing up. My earliest memory would have been starting off playing both at 10/11 years of age. I enjoyed athletics too and most importantly made a lot of friends out of them all
PS: Who would have been your sporting hero growing up?
JM: (Without hesitation) Jack O'Shea. The spurt of growth never came my way to become a midfielder! I was only 5ft 9 1/2 (the 1/2 being crucial) but I loved watching him play when I was growing up. It just shows how good he was that he won Footballer of the Year on four occasions in what was the golden era for Kerry football
PS: When did you first start to play?
JM: I think it was under 12's in football but I also played the badminton at that time under Madge Groarke and athletics under Jimmy Lenihan
PS: Did you always see yourself playing in the backs?
JM: I didn't to be honest, that's where most footballers are put when they have two wonky feet!! I just wanted to play, it didn't matter where I played. I just wanted to have fun playing with my friends which is what it should be about. It's probably got a bit too serious now. I remember playing one game ever as wing forward for the seniors, I got a big bang in the head in that game, got whip lash, so that was the end of my stint in the forwards! My favourite position was centre back, you are involved in everything and you can control everything around you
PS: Who was your best or favourite trainer and who had the biggest influence on your game?
JM: Sean Walsh would have been our trainer for most of underage and when we got to senior we had several different trainers. The best trainer at senior level was probably DJ Mulvihill, he trained us in 2003 when we won the North Kerry Championship. The pitch in Moyvane was being repaired at the time so we trained in Clounmacon. He kept changing the training sessions around which was exactly what we wanted. The biggest influence would probably have been Denis Connor, as chairman he had a big influence on all the younger players coming through. He was a players chairman
PS: When did you first play for the Moyvane senior team?
JM: I played in an invitational tournament in late 1995, I broke my hand shortly after and missed out on my 18th birthday celebrations!! I played my first full year in 1997. We played in Division 3 of the County League at one stage but for most of my time we were competing in Division 4. I remember Ardfert beating us in Moyvane one year by a point and then they went on a run through the divisions up to Division 1 so the margins in Division 3 and 4 were small. Our priority was always the North Kerry Championship which probably effected our county league performances but that has changed a bit now with the County Junior Championship etc and the possibility of getting a run to Croke Park. We thought the Christmas celebrations were better for us though!
PS: Any superstitions before games?
JM: No, move on! I only used the favourite socks and boxers on a night out!!
PS: (Deviating slighty) Tell us something we don't know about you?
JM: (long pause).... I'd say you know everything,and what you don't, I won't be telling!!
PS: Did you have much success at Minor and U21 level?
JM: We won a Minor B in 1995 against Tarbert. After going to school in Tarbert and listening to then beforehand tell us that if they didn't beat us by ten points they would give us the cup, we turned them over in Finuge that day which was a good kick up the ass for them! We won a North Kerry Intermediate with the juniors in 1996, Declan Kennelly kicked a point in Tarbert that day that wasn't a point and won the game against Ballylongford, there was war at the time over it! We lost three Under 21 North Kerry Championship finals in my four years. The first against Duagh when the jerseys didn't arrive and against Listowel in 1997 and 1998. I was captain in 1998 so that was a sickener. Brian Scanlon scored a goal off me but he took about 10 steps without hopping or soloing the ball!! It's good to talk about these things!
PS: North Kerry Championship successes in 1999 and 2003
JM: My first North Kerry Championship game with Moyvane was in 1997 when we lost to Ballylongford. We were leading 0-4 to 0-3 going in to injury time, that was how bad the game was, and Bally reeled off two points and beat us! That was probably one of my biggest disappointments. We beat Tarbert in the 1999 final in Ballybunion. It was massive to win that medal. The celebrations were good after! So many good players had gone before without winning any so that was sweet. Maurice Kearney and Eamon Stack reversed the captain and Man of the Match awards from the 1995 final win. There were a couple of barren years then until 2003. We actually won the North Kerry League that year too. We went on a roll in the autumn as we were in a relegation battle in the County League. We won three games in a row to stay up, that gave us serious momentum going in to the championship. We beat Castleisland who were a Division 1 team in the final. I was corner back in 1999 and centre back in 2003. We also won the County Novice in 2005 against Na Gaeil in Austin Stack Park. That was a memorable occasion playing there with all the people you grew up with
PS: Where do you keep all your medals?
JM: They are in a press here at home. I must sort them out and get them framed now that I'm retired!
PS: When did you start playing with Feale Rangers?
JM: I didn't play Feale Rangers minors. I got called in to the U21's in 1997 and we ended up winning the County Championship that year without training once!! And we did the same in 1998! We beat Laune Rangers in 1997 who had Mike Frank Russsell, Pa Sheehan on their team and we beat South Kerry in 1998. We had some exceptional players, driven by Eamon Fitzmaurice, Paul Galvin etc. Tadgh Kennelly actually played in 1998 before he went to Australia. A lot of that team then would have joined the Feale Rangers senior team then in 1999 that lost the county final to East Kerry by a point. Between 1999 then and 2007 it was very hard to get Feale Rangers going. In 2007 then the biggest change was that Jerome Stack took over the training of the team and Eamon Fitzmaurice had just retired from the Kerry set up so he drove us on. It started slowly, we lost the first game, I was injured for the first few rounds, but then we got momentum through the back door and beat Kilcummin in the semi final. There was a six week break then to the final as Eamon Fitz and Noel Kennelly got married so that gave me the chance to train hard and I was picked to start the final. It was a dour game, we beat South Kerry 1-4 to 0-6. It was notable because no South Kerry forward scored from play that day! It was commitment that won us that final. We got to the semi final again in 2009 but were beaten by Dr Crokes in the semi final even though I thought we had a better team at that time. We probably should have won another but I am grateful to have the one!
PS: There has been articles recently in the local papers about amalgamating the two divisional sides in North Kerry. What would your own views be on it?
JM: Yeah, I think they should give it a try. Football at the moment in North Kerry is at a low ebb. I know there is a lot of young talent coming through but it should be tried for a few years and see what happens. You need the clubs rowing in behind the players and all talk together and see how they can improve things for the better of football in North Kerry. When I played there was an expectation to train with Feale Rangers and also train with the club, you can't train every night so there needs to be common sense used between the managers of all clubs involved
PS You got the opportunity then to play with the Kerry Juniors
JM: I played with the Kerry juniors in 2004 on the back of the 2003 North Kerry Championship win. Three of us from Moyvane were brought in, myself, Jackie Mulvihill and Eddie Bowler. We all got game time but it didn't work out very well as we lost to Cork in Killarney
PS After all these years now is your chance to set the record straight, did you drop that ball against Cork?? The myth says that you did??
JM: Pause......Laughter..... I didn't drop it, I have such a big chest, it bounced off it!! Unfortunately for me it landed straight in to the hands of a Cork forward and in to the back of the net! As I said many times after, it would have been a lot worse if it had happened in a North Kerry Championship final. That was my only year involved but it was an eye opener as to the commitment that the Kerry players make
PS: When did you retire?
JM: I finished up in 2015. I had to go for a keyhole operation in my knee earlier that year and I didn't get back until August or so. The time and commitment was getting harder and harder with the farm and with my father getting older I just had to call it a day. For the last three or four years I played I didn't go back until after St Patrick's day due to the workload on the farm and in case I got injured. The miles were on the clock too
PS: Any regrets after finishing up?
JM: (With Certainty) - No, none at all, I gave 100% for the time I was playing
PS: Mixing things up a bit, lets play the Start, Bench and Sell game. You take three very similar players and decide who you would start, who you would bench and who you would sell. A tough one but your three players are Colm Cooper, Maurice Fitzgerald and David Clifford
JM: Seriously!! Do I have to answer this question? How are you supposed to sell any of those boys? (Pause)....I would start David Clifford, bench Maurice Fitzgerald and sell the Gooch.
Clifford has it all, he has it in the feet, he has it in air, he is strong, he pretty much has everything. Poor old Gooch though! It's a brutal question to ask anyone but a good one!
PS: Any ambitions of management in the future?
JM: This will be my third year involved with the Moyvane/Tarbert Under 21's. We haven't had much success to date so my management career has not gone too great so far! Last year I was involved with the Feale Rangers under 21's who got to the County Final but were beaten by a cracking East Kerry side. I missed that final so I have a 100% winning record from the one game I had with them! As for going forward I would love to get involved more but the time commitment needed is difficult with the farm, especially to be manager. I'd annoy myself if I wasn't able to give 100% commitment
PS: What does the future hold for Moyvane as you see it?
JM: It looks very bright in the medium to long term with all the good underage teams coming through. It will probably take 2-3 years before they start coming through and after that with the experience of a few older heads you would hope that they would have the makings of a very good team. In 5 years time you would hope they would be going up the divisions in the County League and contesting North Kerry Championship finals again and possibly even a County Junior Championship which should be the main aim in a few years time. The underage teams in Moyvane have been a joy to watch over the past few years to be fair and it's a credit to all the trainers and managers who are putting in a massive effort
PS: Is there any changes you would like to see made to the game at the moment?
JM: I think the rule about the advanced mark is a joke. It is only slowing up the game. Also, if they could do something about all the handpassing, maybe limit it to three handpasses or something like that. There is nothing better than seeing a forward being marked tightly and then having the skill to get away from the marker, the advanced mark is taking the real skill and enjoyment away from it
PS: To finish up, with all the restrictions of Covid 19 at present, when everything does get back to some bit of normality, if you had a chance to go for pints, but could only have four people with you, who would you take and why?
JM: (Laughing) I'd pick David Clifford, Maurice Fitz and Gooch just to discuss your question from earlier! And I'd pick you to explain, so the four of ye!! Failing that it would be Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz and Cheryl Tweedy! Purely because they are very intellectual human beings!!
JM: Yeah, I think they should give it a try. Football at the moment in North Kerry is at a low ebb. I know there is a lot of young talent coming through but it should be tried for a few years and see what happens. You need the clubs rowing in behind the players and all talk together and see how they can improve things for the better of football in North Kerry. When I played there was an expectation to train with Feale Rangers and also train with the club, you can't train every night so there needs to be common sense used between the managers of all clubs involved
PS You got the opportunity then to play with the Kerry Juniors
JM: I played with the Kerry juniors in 2004 on the back of the 2003 North Kerry Championship win. Three of us from Moyvane were brought in, myself, Jackie Mulvihill and Eddie Bowler. We all got game time but it didn't work out very well as we lost to Cork in Killarney
PS After all these years now is your chance to set the record straight, did you drop that ball against Cork?? The myth says that you did??
JM: Pause......Laughter..... I didn't drop it, I have such a big chest, it bounced off it!! Unfortunately for me it landed straight in to the hands of a Cork forward and in to the back of the net! As I said many times after, it would have been a lot worse if it had happened in a North Kerry Championship final. That was my only year involved but it was an eye opener as to the commitment that the Kerry players make
PS: When did you retire?
JM: I finished up in 2015. I had to go for a keyhole operation in my knee earlier that year and I didn't get back until August or so. The time and commitment was getting harder and harder with the farm and with my father getting older I just had to call it a day. For the last three or four years I played I didn't go back until after St Patrick's day due to the workload on the farm and in case I got injured. The miles were on the clock too
PS: Any regrets after finishing up?
JM: (With Certainty) - No, none at all, I gave 100% for the time I was playing
PS: Mixing things up a bit, lets play the Start, Bench and Sell game. You take three very similar players and decide who you would start, who you would bench and who you would sell. A tough one but your three players are Colm Cooper, Maurice Fitzgerald and David Clifford
JM: Seriously!! Do I have to answer this question? How are you supposed to sell any of those boys? (Pause)....I would start David Clifford, bench Maurice Fitzgerald and sell the Gooch.
Clifford has it all, he has it in the feet, he has it in air, he is strong, he pretty much has everything. Poor old Gooch though! It's a brutal question to ask anyone but a good one!
PS: Any ambitions of management in the future?
JM: This will be my third year involved with the Moyvane/Tarbert Under 21's. We haven't had much success to date so my management career has not gone too great so far! Last year I was involved with the Feale Rangers under 21's who got to the County Final but were beaten by a cracking East Kerry side. I missed that final so I have a 100% winning record from the one game I had with them! As for going forward I would love to get involved more but the time commitment needed is difficult with the farm, especially to be manager. I'd annoy myself if I wasn't able to give 100% commitment
PS: What does the future hold for Moyvane as you see it?
JM: It looks very bright in the medium to long term with all the good underage teams coming through. It will probably take 2-3 years before they start coming through and after that with the experience of a few older heads you would hope that they would have the makings of a very good team. In 5 years time you would hope they would be going up the divisions in the County League and contesting North Kerry Championship finals again and possibly even a County Junior Championship which should be the main aim in a few years time. The underage teams in Moyvane have been a joy to watch over the past few years to be fair and it's a credit to all the trainers and managers who are putting in a massive effort
PS: Is there any changes you would like to see made to the game at the moment?
JM: I think the rule about the advanced mark is a joke. It is only slowing up the game. Also, if they could do something about all the handpassing, maybe limit it to three handpasses or something like that. There is nothing better than seeing a forward being marked tightly and then having the skill to get away from the marker, the advanced mark is taking the real skill and enjoyment away from it
PS: To finish up, with all the restrictions of Covid 19 at present, when everything does get back to some bit of normality, if you had a chance to go for pints, but could only have four people with you, who would you take and why?
JM: (Laughing) I'd pick David Clifford, Maurice Fitz and Gooch just to discuss your question from earlier! And I'd pick you to explain, so the four of ye!! Failing that it would be Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz and Cheryl Tweedy! Purely because they are very intellectual human beings!!
Thanks to John for his time and for the laughs during this interview which are good to have during these difficult times
