Ringmahon junior captain Cian O’Connor helps his side to three league titles in a row

It takes a good team to win any league, a great team to win back to back titles, but a very special team to win three in a row.

These are the words spoken by Ringmahon junior captain Cian O’Connor after his side lifted the Munster Senior League Junior Premier League trophy on Sunday.

The 28 year-old father of one to son Bobby, has captained the side to three league titles, a massive achievement in which he is very proud of and quick to praise his beloved club.

“To win three league titles in a row with this bunch of lads is incredible,” said O’Connor. 

"Nine of our current players have won the three titles which is great but overall as a club junior football in Ringmahon is thriving with our second junior team also winning a league title and gaining promotion.

“This squad has both youth and experience which is the balance you need to win leagues. 

"Our 19’s over the years have been super successful which has helped our juniors and also with our seniors being so strong that has also helped us with players coming down junior. 

"I believe this team would fit in any Munster senior league as I believe we are all capable of playing senior level without a doubt.

“We’re on for the treble at the moment but we won’t get carried away yet. The main one of winning the league is ticked so we can just enjoy the cup runs and hopefully add more silverware. 

"I believe we’re good enough to do so.” 

A character on and off the pitch, O’Connor is a Ringmahon clubman through and through playing with the club for over two decades and his passion is very evident when he’s playing. 

The netminder believes the club is his identity and he can’t imagine life not being involved whether that’s as a player or a coach, whom he has also enjoyed success as.

“I’m with the club since 5 or 6 and I genuinely wouldn’t know where my life would have went without this club in my life. 

"I live for this club. My coaching career was short but enjoyable and successful. I took over a team at under 12’s and coached them to under 18’s with two very good friends Paul Lawlor and Caoilte Hayes, both who are very heavily involved in coaching. 

"We coached players like Cathal heffernan now with Newcastle, Franco Umeh now with Crystal Palace, his brother Jaden Umeh with Benfica, Gabriel Otegbayo with Sheffield Wednesday and many more in league of Ireland but I will go back into coaching when my own child Bobby is 4/5 and joins Ringmahon. 

"I want to give back to a club that gave me so much in life. As players I always feel it’s important to appreciate the time and effort other coaches gave to us as players and we need to carry this on and give back in whatever capacity we can whether it’s as a coach or in administration. 

"It’s important to give back to your club.

“To captain the side to three league titles was only something I could ever have dreamt of. Growing up this was always my dream, to win a league and as captain. 

"To get the opportunity to do this three times in such a short space of time makes me very proud. As a squad we have heart and desire over anything we believe attitude and heart overtakes talent every single day of the week hands down. today we were 2-0 down in a game that meant nothing we had the league won but we still wanted to go out there and win as it’s our mentality. 

"Against an in form College Corinthians side we came back to win 4-2.

"My son Bobby turned three today and all his three years on earth his dad has won the league. The lads call him out lucky charm however I don’t believe we won through luck. 

"We won through hard work and dedication and long may it continue.”