A little over a year ago, Greg Norman, the Australian golfer with the sobriquet of "The Great White Shark" in both his business and sporting life, climbed the giant dunes in the Doonbeg hinterland and paused for breath. "I'm going to put Doonbeg on the map," said the designer of the proposed new golf links for the area, peering out at the Atlantic Ocean, before adding: "When anyone, anywhere in the world, hears the name Doonbeg, they'll know where it is."
Some would say that the local football team have been doing a grand job of their own in increasing the profile of Doonbeg. They've certainly put the west Clare town on the footballing map.
Tomorrow, at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, Doonbeg hope to do something unique for a Clare football team by successfully defending their AIB Munster club championship against UCC, the Cork champions.
"It's a huge challenge," conceded team manager Pat Hanrahan. "Statistically, all the odds are against us. There is no history of a Clare team doing what we're trying to do. But we've showed people we can play, and we expect to perform well."
Hanrahan, a native of Doonbeg who has served the club as player, selector and manager, knows the enormity of the task. Back in 1992, he was part of John Maughan's back-up team when Clare won the Munster title and there is a genuine appreciation of what is required to overcome the province's big two of Cork and Kerry, whether it is at club or county level.
He says that 95 per cent of football titles in Munster have been won by either Cork or Kerry teams. "What we did last year, what Clare did in 1992, and what a couple of Tipperary minor teams have achieved, is just a drop in the ocean. Only a tiny percentage of teams outside of Cork and Kerry have managed to win provincial championships." So, there is almost the feeling that Clare teams, when facing either of the big two, go out onto the pitch with an air of defiance.
Indeed, Hanrahan, a national school principal in Ennis, is determined that his men can make a statement; not only for Clare football, but for other perceived weaker footballing counties.
"There is a very strong tradition of football in Doonbeg. We don't play any hurling, and I'd say football is a most important part of life for the people of Doonbeg."
Last year, Doonbeg beat the star-studded University of Limerick team in the final. This time round, the UCC team come into the final with an equally big reputation.
But Doonbeg want more than the Munster crown, their eyes are focused on the even bigger prize of the All-Ireland.
"We went into last year's Munster final having lost two previous provincial finals, so there was a bit of extra pressure on the team," admitted Hanrahan. "Now, at least we can say that we won a Munster title. . . but we are going about it the hard way this year, because we have already beaten the Kerry champions (Laune Rangers) and, now, we have to beat UCC. That's a really huge challenge for us."
The two teams have had quite different build-ups to the provincial decider. Doonbeg have been inactive for the past month while UCC have battled through the closing stages of the Cork championship (including a final replay win over Nemo Rangers) before negotiating the provincial hurdles to the final.
"The past month has been quite tough," said Hanrahan, a reference to the effort put in by members of his squad in travelling home to Doonbeg to training sessions three or four times a week. Although the four Cork-based players train under the watchful eye of Larry Whelan at the RTC grounds, most of the remainder are based in urban centres like Ennis, Shannon and Limerick.
"Training for a match of this importance in the conditions we have had for the past month demonstrates why football in general needs to look at change," he adds.
Those wider concerns, though, will be put on the back boiler as Doonbeg seek to create some history tomorrow and claim back-to-back Munster titles. Even Greg Norman might hear the Clare shout if they succeed.
