Cuala crowned All-Ireland champs
Fans turned out in their hundreds to salute new All-Ireland club champions Cuala at their homecoming in Dalkey last night after they became the first Dublin team ever to win the hurling crown. The historic victory was achieved in convincing fashion, as the team overcame Munster champions Ballyea by 2-19 to 1-10 at Croke Park.
THERE were few comments about cows not being milked – and more jokes about ISEQ share indexes not being checked, or manicures for yummy mummies.
But Cuala won’t care. They become Dublin’s first senior hurling team to win the All-Ireland club final.
Thousands of ecstatic fans thronged the streets of Dalkey late last night as the victorious team made the short journey from Croke Park.
Delighted Cuala club coach Ken Fitzpatrick said the team had grown from a “community within a community” and sport was the glue that held them together.
“I’ ve alum pin my throat, I’d never seen anything like it. Especially on St Patrick’s Day, where you should see green, and it’s just all red and white,” said Cuala’s vice-chairman Damian McKeown.
Earlier in the day, more than 2,500 excited Cuala fans had crammed into two Darts to take them to Croke Park.
And at the final whistle, there was no dampening the spirits of the elated fans whose dream had come true.
“It is an honour for me to accept this cup on behalf of the Cuala senior hurling team for 2016 and 2017, this is a historical occasion for a Dublin hurling team. It’s the first time we’ve ever won the All-Ireland club hurling championship,” Cuala’s captain Oisin Gough said.
Ballyea coach Sean Griffin (45) said: “We didn’t start like we had hoped. I guess the better team won on the day.”
Meanwhile, The Gooch managed to claim the one prize that always seemed beyond his grasp.
Twenty five years after Colm Cooper togged out as mascot for Dr Crokes when they won the 1992 title, he helped them to the AllIreland club football title.
It followed a nail-biting win against Derry’s Slaughtneil, with a final score of 1-9 to 1-7. In a touching moment captain Johnny Buckley invited schoolgirl Amy O’Connor, who is battling cancer, to lift the cup.
“For 15 months, we’ve been in a battle to try and get here, but there’s been a very special girl in our club who has been on an even bigger battle,” he said.
The crowd chanted “Amy, Amy!” as she walked the steps to meet Buckley.