Premier SHC: Séamus Harnedy proud to have honoured memory of Imokilly captain's mother

While Séamus Harnedy was one of the few Imokilly players to have claimed won three Cork senior hurling medals, winning a fourth was not any less special.

On Sunday, the East Cork division – winners from 2017-19 – regained the Seán Óg Murphy Cup with victory over Sarsfields at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Harnedy was delighted to have bridged the gap.

“I suppose, after winning in 2017 and 2018, you think you might get the opportunity to be here every year but it’s been a long time, five years.

“I know, sometimes, you have people saying, ‘You’re a division,’ but we’re actually a very close unit in there.

“To have the opportunity, from a junior club like St Ita’s, to play in the senior championship is an honour for me anyway.

“It’s great. I remember back when I was only 22, 23, on the periphery of the Cork squad and it was probably my opportunity to push on and try to get on to the Cork squad.

“It’s great to be able to pit yourself against the best players in the county at that level.”

In what Harnedy described as the windiest conditions he had ever played in, Imokilly trailed by 0-11 to 0-5 at half-time after playing against the elements.

“To be honest, at half-time there was a lot of soul-searching done, in fairness,” he said.

“A few experienced heads, like Bill Cooper and Brian Lawton, had some really good words to say – they’re lads that have been there in the thick of things before.

“I think Bill’s turnover just after half-time was crucial and Adam stuck it away. That kind of settled us a small bit because we really didn’t get going at all in the first half, myself included. The shooting efficiency was just a bit off.

“The conditions, in fairness – even before the game, it didn’t seem too bad. There was a gusty breeze there at times, it made it very hard to shoot.

“Look, thankfully we got there in the end. We’re just thrilled to get over the line.”

For Harnedy and his St Ita’s clubmates – Imokilly’s captain Ciarán O’Brien and his brother Darragh – the victory was given extra resonance due to the passing of the O’Briens’ mother Caroline earlier this year.

“She would have been very important to the club at home, she has three boys on that team and she was one of our biggest supporters at home,” he said.

“They’re neighbours of mine and I’ve been around them all my life. They’re incredibly good lads and great servants of the club and obviously great servants of Imokilly as well.

“Him being captain was absolutely sweet. I hope she was very proud of him, I knew she would be. That’s why he was a small bit emotional and he was right to be.

“She was an important person, not only to the three boys but to the community as well.

“She was battling illness for a number of years but she never stopped supporting us. She was always there and she was brilliant for the club and a brilliant support of Imokilly as well over the years.”