Savour that winning feeling when you can
MONDAY MORNINGS are normally tough, but this one is a whole lot more testing than usual.
I have a daily routine of feeding the pet rabbits before I refuel myself, but sadly one of the unfortunate critters had passed on to its eternal reward during the night.
I’ve just sorrowfully sat down at my desk after burying the poor mite in the back garden, and maybe as she hops around in the big meadow in the sky, she’ll send me some much-needed inspiration.
It was heartbreaking to watch my kids heading off to school with tears streaming down their little faces as they returned to their place of learning after the Halloween break.
Children have a wonderful way of bouncing back, so hopefully a day among their friends will help to take their mind off their loss and I’ll see their cheeky, chirpy little smiles return before the day is out.
I’m hoping my low-key burial ceremony will help – out of sight, out of mind and all that, and they can bid their farewells in a dignified manner when they feel up to it.
The pain on their faces this morning was all the more poignant as less than 24 hours earlier they were beaming from ear to ear as they watched Wexford Youths claim a thrilling cup victory in the Aviva Stadium.
It was a match that had it all – plenty of passion and skill, some excellent goals, and a mistake or two thrown in for good measure, all adding to the drama of the piece.
The move that culminated in Kylie Murphy’s superb winning goal was a thing of beauty, and it was fitting that their inspirational on-field leader, who has given so much to the club, produced the decisive moment.
Murphy doesn’t just do it on big days, she’s a vital cog in the Wexford Youths machine every time she takes to the field, always rolling up her sleeves and giving her all for the cause.
She is the embodiment of a captain who leads by example.
The attendance for the women’s final may have been low in relative terms but, having said that, if a decent portion of the Wexford and Peamount fans went to their home league games, the crowds would swell considerably, leading to a much-improved atmosphere in the local grounds.
Obviously many of the supporters in the Aviva would be on a family or club day out, with a lot of children enjoying the occasion, but if some of the parents could bring them to Ferrycarrig Park or Greenogue, even intermittently, when the season kicks off again next year, it would help the women’s game to grow.
The clubs need to do their bit too. They’re never going to be able to match the comfort and facilities that a stadium like the Aviva can offer, but some sort of steps should be taken to ensure the match day experience is a more pleasurable one. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but the appetite is certainly there.
It was a great weekend for women’s sport in the country, with the cup final more than a match for the male equivalent in the Aviva on Sunday, while Katie Taylor and the Irish hockey team continued to shine on the international stage.
What more can be said about the Bray boxer, who dethroned Christina Linardatou to become a two-weight champion on Saturday night? Taylor didn’t have it all her own way, but despite sour grapes from her vanquished opponent, she richly deserved her victory as she added to her glittering list of achievements.
As for the hockey team, they took several blows to the solar plexus, before battling back off the ropes to win a dramatic penalty shoot-out to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Sport can bring the whole gamut of emotions, but eventually you’ll always be grounded after a whirlwind victory or recover from a devastating loss.
For the sports stars involved, the celebrations that their efforts deserve should be cherished, because you just never know what’s around the corner.
I’ve certainly been brought back down to earth after savouring the highs in a supporting role in Dublin, and I’ll have to admit there was a sad sniffle or two from yours truly as the clay was sprinkled on the departed pet.
Fully appreciate the tears of joy, because you just never know when the tears of sorrow will have to be gently wiped from the cheeks of your loved ones.