Pat Spratt enjoying Castlemagner role

THE 2023 season was one to remember for Castlemagner as they ended 62 years of hurt by winning the Duhallow JAFC title.

Despite not going on to win the county, losing at the semi-final stage to Canovee, the team in black and amber will be hoping to build on the campaign.

Pat Spratt, a vasty experienced coach, who has trained Glanworth, Éire Óg, Ballylanders in Limerick, to name just a few, and has been involved as a selector with the Cork minor and U20 football teams in the past, is in his second season with Castlemagner, as he reflects on a hugely successful 2023 for his team.

“When I came in before the start of the last campaign, it had been such a long time since the club won the Duhallow title,” says Spratt.

“It was tough at the beginning to get lads to believe in the project. That made it hard to be honest. The lads were going into the unknown, but they trained very hard. We played a lot of challenge games last year against good opposition, even some from different counties. Winning games brought confidence into the group. Also, we played in the County Division 7 league for the first time and that brought on the lads massively, playing new teams. We finished fourth which was huge.

“To end up in the Duhallow final was amazing for the club. We beat Knocknagree’s second team 1-14 to 0-7, they had a very strong team out. It was very tight for the first 25 minutes or so and we got a goal and then the belief just started to come through. We saw the light, and we learnt earlier on in the year how to win games and we pushed on. It was brilliant to win the Duhallow championship.

“It was great for all the past Castlemagner footballers that weren’t lucky enough to achieve the feat. It was a win for all of them. It was a win for the whole community. We got great support. It was a massive achievement and the aim now is to build on the success.” 

Despite being rank outsiders to win the County JAFC crown, Castlemagner beat Barryroe 2-10 to 1-11 in the quarter-finals, but lost out to eventual winners Canovee in the last four on a scoreline of 4-11 to 1-6. Spratt hopes the defeat to Canovee will be a learning experience.

“When we went out into the county, it wasn’t bonus territory for us,” the coach said.

“When the team got their hands on the Duhallow title, we made a promise that we would have a right go off the county championship. The win over Barryroe was a big win for us, it was a great game of football, one of the real good games last year. Moving onto the Canovee match, they had beaten teams comfortably, so we knew it was going to be very tough. Maybe playing in Páirc Uí Rinn and the occasion maybe got to the lads in the first 15 minutes when we wanted the lads to dig in and hold things together.

“Canovee had been building for a long time, where we are at the start of the journey. We have only been together for 12 months. We have a very young group. I hope that day and the game will stand to us big time this season. I am sure it will.” 

It was a major coup for Castlemagner when they landed Spratt as coach before the 2023 season, and it’s a big positive that he has committed again for this year. But, what drew him to the club?

“Well, first of all it’s only over the road from me here in Buttevant,” he says.

“I knew Castlemagner had a very young team and that appealed to me. I want to bring them to the next level. I could have done plenty of other things, but this project just got to me. Plus, they are wearing black and amber, the same as my own club Buttevant.” 

In the 2024 Duhallow JAFC group stage, Castlemagner will face Knocknagree’s second team, Kilbrin, Kanturk’s second string, Lyre, and Millstreet’s reserves. The top team qualifies for the final, second and third placed teams will meet in the semi-final.

“We want to push on another bit in the championship this year and to take it to another stage if we could. The club is getting stronger and stronger. It’s a great community.” Spratt concluded.