It was a privilege to witness history made up in Navan
IAM signing off on 2019 in this column, as it’s the last piece I will write before the start of my holidays. Indeed, work will be firmly in the back seat for me by the time this piece is read, as I have been officially off since making an idle journey on Sunday to an Under-20 game in Rathangan that had been called off beforehand. In spite of that, I left on a high note, because 24 hours earlier I had the privilege of being in Navan to witness history being made.
There’s one aspect of this job that never grows old or tired for me, and that’s looking on from the press box from October onwards and watching those first few minutes after clubs capture hard-earned titles.
I love the raw emotion that those occasions invoke, the cheers and joyful tears, the hugging, back-slapping and general mayhem.
It’s in those moments that one witnesses the very best of what the G.A.A. is all about, and it’s always a pleasure to look down on such scenes from the back of the stand.
Invariably, my eye will be drawn towards someone I know well from a particular club, and I often think of the disappointments they had to endure before finally getting their time to shine.
It’s special to witness it after a county final, and even better when a Leinster crown has been annexed.
And for a full appreciation of what Rathgarogue-Cushinstown achieved in Navan, it’s important to remember the numerous bitter defeats they had to endure along the way.
They proved on Saturday that persistence is one of the most important traits any group can bring to the heat of battle.
Captain fantastic Matthew Cody referenced their 2017 Junior final loss to the St. Martin’s second string in his acceptance speech, noting that he would have ‘laughed at’ anyone who suggested on that day that they would be Leinster champions two years later.
These players had a choice of directions to take after that defeat, because it wasn’t their first upsetting experience on a big day by any means, and it would have been very easy to throw in the towel.
They were happily made of much sterner stuff, though, and the silverware has come in droves ever since.
There was the Junior and Junior ‘B’ double in 2018, the Intermediate ‘A’ crown at the first attempt in late September, and now the Leinster championship trophy has found a home in the parish. And who’s to say that there won’t be more success to come? Achievements of this magnitude don’t happen by accident, and I already highlighted the contribution made by their inspiring manager, James Bolger, last week.
One of his trusted sidekicks is Barry Murphy, another man who soldiered in the club colours over many years and would bleed green and gold.
It’s a long way from Raphoe to Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, but it’s the route that was taken by Donegal native John Michael Porter through his involvement in the teaching profession in New Ross, and the club is all the better for it.
And then there’s the other ‘outsider’ in the backroom, Donie Noonan, a man with a unique claim to fame now as his two clubs are the only ones from Wexford with Leinster football titles to their name - with his native Kilanerin the first to triumph in 2017.
I was also delighted to hear Matthew Cody singling out Robbie O’Connor, the club Chairman, for special praise, because the achievements of the past 14 months don’t happen without a steady guiding hand at the helm. There’s always a warm welcome from Robbie on my trips to cover games at their excellent floodlit facility in Cushinstown, and he should be proud of his contribution.
Another unsung hero is the team’s statistician, John O’Neill, who is also Chairman of the Coiste na nOg Fixtures and Competition Control committee, carrying out a very difficult task with an admirable attention to detail.
It meant a lot to be in Navan, and to witness the Rathgarogue-Cushinstown club - their players, mentors, and vocal supporters - representing Wexford in such an exemplary fashion.
Here’s to 2020, and I hope what they have achieved thus far will inspire other clubs to follow suit.