*Sixmilebridge goalkeeper, Derek Fahy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
WHILE specialised role of goalkeeper is a pivotal cog that is difficult to settle on for a number of clubs, Sixmilebridge have been extremely fortunate to have such a distinguished lineage of stoppers over the past 35 years.
Three-time All-Star Davy Fitzgerald’s legendary club stint lasted two decades from 1989-2009, Derek Fahy took on that mantle ever since while last year’s Munster and All-Ireland Minor winning goalkeeper Mark Sheedy is currently next in line after making his adult bow in 2024.
Indeed, former county senior Fahy is on the crest of a wave following his semi-final penalty scoring and saving heroics against Inagh/Kilnamona last time out. “No-one could have foreseen that penalties would be needed. Both sides were obvious intent on finishing it after 60 or 65 minutes but we had to be separated in some way so we’re fortunate to have won out in the end”.
Standing between the posts in a unprecedentedly pressurised situation was a new experience for Fahy. “To be honest I didn’t have much pressure or nerves, I think I was just in the moment and just went with it. Being honest I actually felt more pressure when I was in the goal trying to save them rather than striking one myself.
“Now after I saved Aidan McCarthy’s penalty, the blood pressure went up. I was fairly pumped but then I realised that I was taking the next penalty so that brought me back down to earth fairly fast. Luckily I take them all the time in training so I was fairly confident taking them and to be honest looking back now it was great entertainment too.
“I actually didn’t know until sudden death that the score was on the scoreboard as I was trying to work out the score in my head but it was all about keeping calm and I must say was some relief when the last one went over the bar, just that it was finally over.
“It could have kept on going as Eamonn Foudy is a top class goalkeeper and made three fine saves but for us as a team, to go through that savage battle together and come out the other side was massive for this group and especially the younger players. We just never gave up The whole thing was just bizarre and unique but also a hugely memorable experience that I will remember forever”.
Also etched in his memory bank is how he inadvertently got into being a goalkeeper in the first place. “I actually only started playing in goal when I was 16. It was a parish league and I stood in and then I was asked would I stand in goals for the minor team. I knew that I wasn’t going to make it out the field so it just went from there. I was in and out of goal at minor as I didn’t really know what I wanted but then I got asked to be on the Clare Under 21 panel and that kind of settled it.
And the rest is history as Fahy was subsequently thrown in as the deep end in the 2007 Senior Championship Semi-Final against Crusheen after Davy Fitzgerald suffered a hand injury while those roles were reversed for the 2009 semi-final.
“I suffered a bad eye injury in the quarter-final against Inagh/Kilnamona actually and Fitzy [Davy Fitzgerald] famously came back out of retirement and was in goal against Cratloe in the semi-final. I made it back anyway for the final and I probably wasn’t fully recovered but being my first final I wasn’t going to miss it whatever it took. I just remember the weather, I’d never seen anything like it and have never played in a match as wet as it since even but while we were beaten, I do think it stood to us again down the line”.
The statistics back up that claim as Fahy and Co. would subsequently dominate the Canon Hamilton race following their breakthrough in 2013 as they added senior crowns in 2015, ’17, ’19 and ’20.
“It was probably still one of my favourite days as it was the first. While a lot of other lads had won a lot at underage, for myself and actually Tommy Liddy (Current Joint-Manager), the 2009 Under 21A win was our first championship medal so to win a senior four years later was brilliant. It was just unbelievable the amount of work we put in from 2011 so to get over the line in 2013 was just a massive relief, just for the club in general after eleven years and also as a young team trying to make a breakthrough, it was a huge achievement and all new experiences for us so it was amazing really.
“We obviously won four since and are so grateful for everyone of them, especially in 2020 as it was the first time that we had done it back-to-back. I was joint-captain with Shane Golden that year which was another great honour but before then we found it difficult to back it up the following year, maybe just as Clonlara might have felt this year.
“Still it takes a lot of factors for a team to come back again the following year and have everything still in place. Life gets in the way and it’s still an amateur sport at the end of the day so sometimes people can’t replicate the same grá again the following year. Every time we lost our title, we came back with more fire in our bellies the next year and that stood to us.”
That internal fire is still burning brightly it seems as there has been no shortage of motivational tools in the intervening four years since their last crown.
“We were unlucky in 2022 that we lost to Éire Óg after extra-time in the semi-final. We nearly had them pipped and then last year we had a few injuries and didn’t seem to have the same commitment as other teams probably had.
“This year we had a lot of lads come back into the panel, the likes of Paidi Fitzpatrick and Jason Loughnane returned from their travels and the injuries have come right at the right time. So we wanted to redress the balance of the last few years when we didn’t do ourselves justice and then add in some new players and the competition for places have just been awesome this year and everything has kind of fallen into place for us again this year.
“Look, it’s not going to be easy and we know that as Feakle are going to be well up for this as they’re a tight knit bunch, they’re strong, athletic and powerful in the air. So they’re going to be relishing this opportunity as it’s been a great year there with ‘Up for the Match’ and having three panelists on an All-Ireland winning team so we’re just going to have to meet them with fire”.
There has never been a shortage of flames between the posts for the ‘Bridge though as Fahy looks to emulate his predecessor’s record of six senior medals this Sunday.
“Timing is everything when it comes to goalkeeping so I came at a good time as Fitzy was on the way out and it seems that Mark Sheedy is coming at another good time. He’s a tremendous goalie and it’s great that the ‘Bridge have had such a continuity. But I’ll try and hang on that little bit longer”.
