The Sports Star for May has just been announced.  Mark Verling from Cloughduv Hurling Club clocked up a personal tally of 1-10 in their championship start for 2018.  Mark makes it look so easy on the pitch. Mark is invited to the Auld Triangle to receive his award where he will be joined by family and friends to celebrate.  Congrats Mark.

ARTICLE FROM EVENING ECHO

Barry O’ Mahony

The Auld Triangle and Muskerry Sports Star Award winner for the month of May was Cloughduv’s Mark Verling. The 24 year old played a major role in Cloughduv’s opening round game in the junior A hurling championship against Éire Óg on May 31^st, scoring 1-10 (1-3f) in a 3-25 to 3-13 victory. Verling is captain of the Cloughduv team this year and has been an outstanding servant over the last few years.

Verling was joined by his family, team mates and Cloughduv representatives at the presentation in the Auld Triangle, Macroom recently.

The primary school teacher wasn’t just pointed out following his stellar performance against Éire Óg, but his outstanding performances he has given to the Cloughduv cause over the past number of years. Naturally enough, Verling was shocked but delighted to have picked up the award for the month of May.

“It’s a privilege, I wasn’t expecting it at all. But whenever you receive an individual award you will always take it. To be honest with you, I wouldn’t have won this award if it wasn’t for the team mates. In my eyes, I am accepting it on the behalf of the team as well.”

May was a hectic month of Muskerry Divisional championship action, with a number of players in contention for the prize, but the captains’ haul of 1-10, with only 1-3 coming from frees in the Muskerry junior A hurling championship made the 24 year old a clear favourite.

“I got the call about the award about two weeks ago, at first, I didn’t know what it was about, I had a bad line too, which didn’t help matters. I just said repeat that again, and sure I was delighted. It’s a fantastic achievement for myself, family, friends and Cloughduv.”

As stated above, the reigning champions won the first round against Éire Óg, 3-25 to 3-13, but Verling admits the score line didn’t do Éire Óg justice.

“It was a tough game, we pulled away in the final minutes, but there was nothing in it for the vast majority of the game. Éire Óg got stuck in and we certainly didn’t have it all our own way. Was I surprised by Éire Óg? Absolutely not, there a good side. They don’t get as much credit as they deserve.”

Cloughduv are in familiar territory, into the Divisional quarter-final, with another tilt at the Muskerry championship on the cards.

“We don’t look too far down the line, otherwise complacency might creep into your game. We were training last week and we just said lads we’ll drive on now and focus on the quarter-final.”

Cloughduv have been close to returning to the intermediate ranks over the last nine years, losing three county finals in that time, Fermoy in 2009, Meelin in 2010 and most recently Dungourney in 2015. Verling and his charges are hoping 2018 will be a memorable one in the Muskerry championship and beyond for the proud hurling club.

“After winning Muskerry titles in recent years, It has been heart-breaking and very frustrating in the county championship, maybe on a number of occasions we didn’t play as well as we could and when you don’t do that, you spend your time looking back what might have been.”

The Aherla native will lead his team into battle in the coming months and after recovering from a few serious injuries over the years, Verling is determined to make his stint as captain a successful one.

“I am privileged to be captain of Cloughduv, but I am only one leader on the pitch, we have many more. We have a nice blend between experience and youth, this year, and hopefully that blend can prove effective in the weeks and months ahead. After suffering two injuries in recent years, when I thought there was no light at the long dark tunnel, it would be incredible if I could lead this team to glory.” He concluded.