Mr Nowlan Park honoured

GLANBIA’S renewal of their sponsorship of Kilkenny for another three years reinforces one of the great partnerships in the GAA. It was pointed out in Nowlan Park on Friday that Avonmore came under the Glanbia umbrella around the same time Brian Cody took over Kilkenny hurlers. It looks like things are going to remain thus in the Marble County.

Except things don’t always stay the same. There was a familiar face missing in Nowlan Park, one that journalists have got to know very well over the year. Mick O’Neill was considered Mr Nowlan Park as he was usually the first face you saw entering the venue, and last face when you left after dark. And in a touching tribute, Cody remembered him on Friday.

‘When we came here for training, everything was done to perfection by Mick O’Neill,’ Cody said. ‘He epitomised everything that is good about the GAA and the volunteerism that is involved. And he was just a gentleman. And we do miss him very much and will continue to miss him because when you think of Nowlan Park, you think of Mick O’Neill.’