JAMIE Shanahan will never forget how he won his first trophy at senior level.

‘It’s one of those pinch-me moments,’ the Skibbereen man smiles, his mind darting back to the closing ten minutes of the Munster Senior Cup final when his Highfield team trailed Shannon 17-7.

But there was magic in the air at Temple Hill.

‘The way we won the final made it extra special.

‘A lot of people probably thought we were dead and buried with ten minutes to go.

‘But we never felt it was over.’

A try from James Cronin gave Highfield hope. Then came the magic:

‘James Bruger – he’s still in school, doing his Leaving Cert – made a brilliant break from halfway, beat a few men and gave a superb 25-metre pass out to Noah Patterson for the try.’

17-17.

It was man-of-the-match Shane Buckley’s turn to land a superb late conversion that ended Highfield’s 58-year wait for the trophy.

‘You can’t really win a final in any better way, to be honest with you,’ Shanahan says, and as Highfield captain he was the man to lift the cup.

Highfield captain Jamie Shanahan lifts the trophy. (Photo: David Ribeiro/INPHO)

Context is key here: this was the first time in 58 years that Highfield had won the Munster Senior Cup, since 1968.

‘It was also around 20 years since they were last in a final,’ Shanahan points out. So, this triumph meant a lot.

For the Skibb man, this is his first senior trophy, so it will linger long in the memory.

‘It was the first piece of silverware for a lot of the group, myself included, and I’ve been playing senior rugby for around seven years now. That made it even more special. Hopefully there’s more to come,’ he adds.

He shares this success with more West Cork men, including brothers David and Liam McCarthy from Castlehaven – all three came through the ranks at Skibbereen Rugby Club and were previously involved with Munster, while David and Liam have also won Ireland underage caps. Add Travis Coomey, who has links to Clonakilty Rugby Club.

‘Skibb has produced some excellent players over the years – you only have to look at the likes of Gavin and Liam Coombes. From that U18-and-a-half team we had that won the All-Ireland title in 2019, there was serious quality, even if a lot of lads stopped playing,’ Shanahan says.

‘People often say you need the schools route in rugby, but clubs are producing plenty of talent as well. I look back on my time with Skibb very fondly. I enjoyed every minute of it.’

It was Liam McCarthy who pointed Shanahan in the direction of Highfield.

‘This is my third year with the club, and Liam was a big factor in me joining,’ says Shanahan, now living in Ballincollig and working in Apple.

‘I started off with Skibbereen and played up until 18-and-a-half, and then when I was in college I played with Garryowen for three years. After that, I decided to move back to Cork and Highfield was the club I chose.

‘It’s turned out fairly well. Third year there, and I was lucky enough to be club captain this year, so it’s going well.’

The captaincy rests easily on Shanahan’s shoulders.

‘To captain a club at 25 is a massive privilege and something I won’t forget. I jumped at the opportunity,’ he says.

‘It’s been a learning curve. Since the start of the year I’ve learned a lot about how to approach games, training, recovery and everything that goes into it.

‘The speaking side of it is something I’m getting more used to and more confident with. It’s about not overcomplicating things and not speaking for the sake of it – what you say has to mean something.’

Leadership comes naturally to the Skibb man. He was an underage vice-captain in his Skibbereen days, and also captained the Munster U18 clubs side.

‘I’d always try to lead through my actions on the pitch,’ he explains.

‘Playing full-back, you can be a bit removed from the action at times, but we’ve plenty of leaders in the group. The pack would deal with the referee around scrum time and line-outs, and I’d step in more on the overall team side of things.’

Shanahan has developed a taste for success, and he wants more. Highfield are chasing a top-four spot in AIL Division 1B.

‘This time of the year, when you’re pushing for play-offs and playing in big games, that’s why you play. We’re still in a good position in the league too, and promotion has been a goal since the start,’ he says, keen to round off a breakthrough season on a high note.