Christy Connery back coaching at Na Piarsaigh and hoping to bring them back to the top table

Na Piarsaigh have produced many great players over the years but in Christy Connery they had a player who gave them everything throughout his career that culminated him winning three Senior county medals.

Connery also represented Cork at Minor, U21 before being part of the winning Senior All-Ireland winning team of 1990.

Last season Christy returned to his beloved club as a selector when they were relegated from the Premier Senior championship a role he is presently enjoying.

“I suppose with my father (Liam) one of the founding members of the club I was brought to every match Na Piarsaigh played as a young lad and so you could say I knew nothing else in the early years,” he said.

The foundation for every club in attracting players was playing in the Street Leagues and Connery believes they were crucial in the success of the club.

“Times were different I know but that’s where it all began for us and by God we enjoyed those years,” he added.

Christy was a proud man when he helped the club win their first Senior county championship in 1990 and he was also part of the winning teams of 1995 and 2004.

“The club started in humble beginnings in the mid forties and were fairly successful in winning underage but it was not until the late eighties into the early nineties did a group of players surface that were capable of competing with the elite teams in this city and county.” 

Na Piarsaigh had quality players like John and Tony O’Sullivan with Paul O’Connor and when they added the young guns they certainly became a force to be reckoned with during that era.

“We had Tom Nott who did incredible work from 1986 to 1989 and he was rather unlucky as Eamonn Ryan was the coach when we won our first county the following year but Tom’s work will never be forgotten.” 

The northside rivalry between Na Piarsaigh and Glen Rovers is well documented but Christy believes it was a healthy one for the sport.

“We all knew one another as the majority of us went to the North Mon but the battle for the bragging rights was hot and that’s something that’s missing right now in this city at many levels.

“Playing your rivals a couple of times a year was great for the sport and the communities and they were games all players looked forward too.

“Just take the Glen won the county in 1989 and that drove us on and we won our first the following year so the rivalry between the clubs was helping.” 

Na Piarsaigh were relegated from the Premier Senior in 2022 that sent shockwaves through the club and city and with Glen Rovers following them last season the former superpowers of GAA in the northside of Cork were given a culture shock.

“I realistically looked at our relegation because in truth up to that the players were battling it for four or five years and it didn’t come out of the blue when it eventually happened.

“We had taken our eye off the ball and probably the Glen will say the same and now we have to try and regain our Senior Premier status but it certainly will not be an easy task.” 

The management team at Na Piarsaigh include John Gardiner, Sean Og O hAilpin and Mark Mullins all experienced in their own right and Christy is adamant no stone will be left unturned in their efforts to get them back in the top flight.

“We feel we have a group of players that are capable of getting back to playing Premier Senior but they will have to raise there games as it will take a huge effort but its not beyond them.” 

Looking ahead to the Senior A championship Connery believes it will take a huge effort to lift the title.

“We are pitted against Blarney, Courcey Rovers and Carrigtwohill and by God that is a hard group and we will need to pick it up big time before we open our championship campaign.

“There are 12 teams in the Senior A championship who all believe they can get playing to the Premier Senior and so every game will be intense from start to finish and it will be a case of getting ready for the job in hand.” 

Christy Connery has given the majority of his life to the GAA and his club Na Piarsaigh and his love over five decades hasn’t waned.

“Hopefully the players will buy into what all of us are trying to do at Na Piarsaigh and if they do we might not be too far away.”