This is Gaelic football in its purest form, long live the heroic club championships
THERE was a time when county players shared the affection and appreciation that club players are now experiencing during a heroic club championship.
It’s nearly a u-turn compared to years ago when the club player was the forgotten man and the county player was king – adored by his county’s loyal and passionate fanbase.
Back in the day, the club game had little or no exposure and many of the great club players of the past received little or no real respect.
But the provincial club championship as it now stands has done wonders for the club game in general.
It allows every player and supporter to dream big – it has become a truly outstanding
compe- tition which now enjoys a huge profile across all platforms.
Many ordinary genuine GAA supporters now put it above the elitist county scene.
I was in Thurles on Saturday and saw up close and personal the savage bond between club players and their supporters.
It really is something very special and precious.
The extraordinary relationship we had with our supporters in Meath is something I still cherish. But that bond has now basically transferred to the club scene. And it underlines the ever-growing disconnect between county teams and fans.
Saturday’s two club semis was Gaelic football in it’s purest form, on and off the field.
A remarkable journey came to a fitting end for Mullinalaghta and their huge band of passionate supporters when they were beaten by some of the most exhilarating, stylish forward play you would wish to see anywhere.
There was no shame in it. They came up against a Dr Crokes team that played the game on a totally different level to anything the Longford men had experienced before.
Players like Fionn Fitzgerald, Daithi Casey, Gavin White, David Shaw, Kieran O’leary and the stunning Tony Brosnan were a joy to behold. Some of their scores took my breath away, they were that good.
I sat in small Thurles Sarsfields clubhouse and watched the early game between Corofin and the men from Gweedore.
It was a really game, won by the reigning Allireland club enjoyable champions who had a little bit more up front with the likes of Martin Farragher, Jason Leonard, Gary Sice and the mercurial Ian Burke.
The sheer effort and superb play by the Donegal men to push Corofin so close right to the very end was remarkable.
Corofin would comfortably hold their own in Division 2 of the National league – that’s the level this well-oiled machine is at.
For me, Gaoth Dobhair gave every ounce they had. They showed marvellous mental resolve, they emptied the tank but were simply beaten by a better team.
When you consider the shockingly sad and traumatic last few weeks these lads and their families went through, the horrendous personal loss they suffered, their performance was all the more astonishing. l’ll go so far as to say their efforts to a man and as a club collectively last Saturday is already one of the performances of 2019.
Overall, last weekend proved to me that the club scene is exactly what the county scene was back in the day when l played.
It was a place where players, supporters, family and friends were a really close and united bunch. Long live the club championship.