Importance of the rural parish will be clear on finals day

THE IMPORTANCE of the rural parish to the G.A.A. will be driven home on Sunday when thousands of supporters will converge on Innovate Wexford Park. While many believe that the G.A.A. is under threat in the main towns, the achievements of the small parishes has to be admired.

On Sunday two small rural parishes, which by any standards do not carry the population base of their town rivals – Oulart-The Ballagh and St. Martin’s - will do battle for the Dr. Bob Bowe Cup and the blue riband of Wexford hurling.

The G.A.A. gives hope to so many parishes and their people, the importance of which can be seen weekend after weekend. It’s then, and only then, that it surfaces and the contribution they make to life, the parish and the community becomes clear.

The weekend can be intense, and there will be celebrations and disappointments, but when the mayhem settles down one can say that the players and supporters love it.

Let’s forget about the tactics and whatever goes with them. This is all about the parish rivalry, and what it means, and this can only be seen through the G.A.A. and its games, which has a strong foothold in each and every parish.

It doesn’t matter how long it takes, but when the big day arrives the whole parish becomes a sea of club colours. When one bumps into the passionate supporters there are always the various questions.

The usual dialogue will take place as to the merits of the respective sides, but those supporters will always arrive at some resolution to support their claims as to who should lift the coveted silverware.

When one speaks of Wexford hurling, Oulart-The Ballagh immediately springs to mind, as they have been the dominant force in Senior ranks in the county.

This Sunday they are lucky enough to be competing for another county title. Hurling is so important to them that that the Dr. Bowe Cup has held a special place in the hearts of players and supporters in the parish, but they will see this as another challenge, one they will relish.

Their desire and commitment will never be questioned so they will be saying that a hurling career can be short, so let’s give it another lash and demonstrate what it means to us. They will be reluctant to talk themselves up as they know they face a huge challenge, but they will be hoping to secure their place at the top table once again.

It’s a new generation, a new team, built on years of under-age work through the various age groups, that St. Martin’s will take into Sunday’s final. But their remarkable season continues to roll on with county success after county success, with even the ladies chipping in for good measure in both camogie and football, as they bid to become the first team since 2000 to achieve the Senior double.

St. Anne’s (Rathangan) were the last side to reach such heights, and St. Martin’s are two hours away from matching them, having qualified for the Senior football final on Sunday.

This is another challenge but one cannot question their desire and their professional approach, Sunday after Sunday, be it either hurling or football.

They seem to be thriving on the good competition, and the quality of opposition, as they raise their game to new heights over successive weekends.

It cannot be easy but the players seem to want to make their season long lasting as, step by step, they continue to make their way into county finals.

This is a parish project, as their success this year and in the years just passed is seen at under-age level right through to adult, continuing to lift trophies in each and every grade.

Now for these players, all of whom have achieved under-age success, this is another challenge, but one they will relish.

What we are doing here is talking about the parish, and the rural parish in particular, for the curtain-raiser will bring together Cloughbawn and Craanford in the Greenstar Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 championship final replay. For both clubs this will be a big occasion, playing in front of a large crowd, so it will be extra special for which ever side comes out on top.

The G.A.A. plays its role as a community and social outlet, but when it comes to Sunday afternoon there will only be one thing on the minds of players, a determination as to who will lift the Dr. Bowe Cup.

Let’s hope we have a fitting finale to our county championship.