Rathnure long to end tradition

Of the four clubs in pursuit of the AIB All-Ireland club titles, none has quite as storied a past as Rathnure. The Wexford hurling champions, starting as outsiders against St Joseph's Doora-Barefield, have packed many accomplishments into their 68-year history.

As home club to the Rackard brothers, Rathnure was central to Wexford's glorious advent in the 1950s. Despite being founded at a comparatively advanced stage of the GAA's evolution - 1931 was only four years short of the association's golden jubilee - the club top the county's roll of honour with 17 senior titles.

In recent times, they have set less enviable records. No club has lost as many All-Ireland club finals, and this afternoon Rathnure still seeks its first win at this level.

It isn't unusual for a particular team to experience serial disappointment (the footballers of Clann na Gael and Eire Og are the most obvious examples), but for a club to send three different generations of players to an All-Ireland final is an unequalled achievement. Only Kilkenny's Ballyhale have reached All-Ireland hurling finals in each of the championship's three decades of existence.

Nonetheless, the foundation of the club is still a matter of puzzlement to Billy Rackard, the youngest of the legendary brothers and a three-time All-Ireland medallist.

"I don't know why, maybe it was the proximity to Kilkenny, but this club was founded within 15 years of the county winning four All-Ireland football finals in a row yet it never considered playing football. People played hurling for the pleasure. Even before the club was founded, they played around the area in the fields.

"We would have won more if we did play football, because in 1952 it was decided to put a team into the junior championship and we won it. A year later we were senior and beat Gusserane on the way to winning a senior title. After two years in existence. In 1953 a few of us even ended up playing for the county in a Leinster (football) final against Louth."

In the 1950s, the club regularly played in a tournament organised by Waterford club Dunhill. For the quaint prize of a "suit-length", Rathnure did battle with leading clubs from other counties, most notably the Glen Rovers of Christy Ring. Even then, success was elusive.

"We played Glen Rovers in the final a couple of times. One ended in a tragic defeat. We were two points up at the very end when the ball broke to Ring in front of goal. The final whistle went just as the ball hit the back of the net."

Rackard acknowledges the oppressive history of coming up short at the final hurdle.

"It's a great club with a hell of a set-up and there's a pile of trophies there, but the one big gap is the All-Ireland. I think they have to avoid being imprisoned by the memory of losing finals."

Change has been very recent. Two seasons ago, the club won a county title and were beaten by Camross of Laois in the Leinster championship. In the short space of time since, newer, younger players have emerged - the fruits of an under-age policy which has landed the last four county under-21 titles.

Despite a small catchment area, with a population of 1,200 and a club membership of 200, Rathnure has always been accustomed to success within the county.

"There's been no six years when we didn't win a county championship," according to secretary Ned Lyng, "so most generations of senior hurlers have a medal." It is 12 years since the club last reached this level and lost to Borris-Illeigh from Tipperary. The team's connections go back even further: 21 years ago, John Conran and Jimmy Holohan lined out at midfield against St Finbarr's of Cork. This afternoon, Conran plays his last match for Rathnure at full back and Holohan sits on the bench.

Ted Morrissey and John Codd are survivors from 1987, and the layered effect continues through the side with the experience of the Guiney brothers, Dave and Rod, a member of Wexford's All-Ireland winners in 1996, and also encompassing the burgeoning talent of Paul Codd and the infusion of youth from the successful under-21 teams.

Wexford People journalist Alan Aherne says the public is united in support for its standard-bearers - a benediction by no means guaranteed clubs within their county boundaries.

"The feeling in the county is that everyone wants Rathnure to win. They're such a great club. There's not one, single person would want John Conran to end his career without getting an All-Ireland medal."