SUNDAY WILL BE SO EMOTIONAL
Ballyhale v Borris-ileigh Sunday 2pm
THERE’S more to Sunday’s club hurling final than the simple arithmetic of winning and losing for TJ Reid.
The backdrop to both Ballyhale and Borrisileigh’s route to Croke Park has been very much one of tragedy, with both rural communities hit by a series of bereavements.
Having lost Eoin Doyle, who died following a motorcycle accident in 2018, Ballyhale honoured their team-mate in the best way they could by going on to win the All-ireland club title last March.
They couldn’t have imagined that they’d suffer a similar loss so soon but Eugene Aylward, another panellist, was killed in a car crash in October as the county championship reached its climax.
“It’s challenging,” said Reid. “When Eoin Doyle passed away, that was hard. Very difficult. We, I suppose, gave great respect to the family, great respect to the jersey.
“And we carried his jersey all along with us last year in the dressing room after the game. It’s inspiring. But we can’t use that as motivation. Our motivation is to win.
“Then, you’re just knocked with another sucker punch. For me, that funeral was the hardest day I’ve seen in Ballyhale. The whole street wearing the green and white jersey.
“Usually we’re bringing home a cup and everyone smiling and celebrating. But this time it was carrying a coffin up through the street, old men crying, club players crying.
“But it takes a great panel of players to come together and go on and achieve something. For Borris-ileigh to respond to it and Ballyhale to respond to it, it shows great character to overcome that.
“We’re hoping on the 19th of January that we can celebrate something special together.”
An All-ireland final on that date has a strange ring to it and Reid, who was critical before Christmas of the decision to move the games from St Patrick’s Day, remains steadfast on that point.
“It’s just a change. It’s different. It’s not the same day. It’s not St Patrick’s Day. St Patrick’s Day brought that hype.
“For me, I love St Patrick’s Day because for me, that represents the grassroots of the
GAA.”