McGREEV Y PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE TEAMMATE ANTO

he’s talking about wanting to raise awareness to help other people.

“It was just so tough. I remember looking at my brother and the other boys and saying, ‘Jesus, it was unbelievable what he was able to do there’.

“Question after question and he articulated it really well.

“He had amazing courage and determination. I know that’s obvious, but he had.”

Equally, McGreevy won’t ever forget Antrim boss PJ O’Hare returning to a meeting room on a pre-Championship camp to find his skipper wriggling on the floor oor doing one of his party pieces,

‘The Worm’.

Laughter

The room, in fits of laughter. “People were fed up, waiting for the management to finish a meeting,” recalls McGreevy.

“I didn’t know Anto had this amazing ability to turn into a worm.

“He went onto the ground, out of the blue. He’s like a caterpillar. Up and down. It was just amazing to watch. Gearoid Adams, Kevin Madden, Joe Quinn, we were just in awe of him, watching.

“He’s laughing himself, doing it, well aware of how much fun people are having. Next thing the door opens and the management come in.

“PJ O’Hare’s face was just shock, horror. He looked in disbelief.

For a few seconds it was as if he couldn’t get the words out… ‘What are you doing?’ sorta shouting.

“It was disbelief that his captain was on the floor doing this worm.

“Anto got up and was crunched over laughing his head off, saying ‘I’m sorry PJ.’

“It was just so funny. That was the messer in him. If there was a dull moment he would brighten it up.”

And if there was a sing-song to be had. The ‘Irish jukebox’ McGreevy called him.

“He knew the words to any Irish song, and I mean that, back to front, upside down – it was just incredible,” continues the former Antrim and St Paul’s goalkeeper.

“When we got off for a few beers, and Anto was there you knew it was going to be a great night. ‘Anto, sing ‘A Nation Once Again’. ‘Anto, sing ‘Spancil Hill’. Anything.

“Any oul song, he knew it, and he was singing the whole thing whether you liked it or not.

“‘The Town I Loved So Well’ is one of my favourite songs. Somebody usually takes it on, it’s so long.

Hanging

“I was keen one night to see did Anto know it or not, but by God did he know it, word for word — the whole gas yard wall and all.”

When McGreevy was hanging onto his hair, Finnegan wasn’t slow to remind him of it: “I’d have some oul hairstyle,” he says.

“It was time to let it go and he’d be, ‘Ach McGreevy, I’ll bring a pair of scissors to training.’

““This sort of crack. He’d ne never let you off the hook. It was always good banter. Ul Ultimate crack, but also kn knowing the line and steepp stepping in when it was too m much.” h

O Over the course of the last few days, McGreevy has been pi picking up bits and pieces ab about Finnegan’s life, as a kid and right up until the end.

The St Paul’s man was an All-Ireland badminton champion at youth level.

He was also the main driver of a new underage strategy for his club, continuing to give back right up until the end.

If he owned a trumpet, he never blew it.

“He would never have told you that — a modest person — just wee things you learn that still rock you back and makes you think what a talented person,”says McGreevy.

“A very, very intelligent person as well.”

The pair played a couple of years in the Irish League with Ballyclare Comrades, as well as on the same club and county team.

They always seemed to be on the same team.

From an early age, Finnegan’s son Conall was McGreevy’s ball boy.

Miles

“He got an understanding of when he needed the ball to be close to me and when he needed it to be miles from me,” smiles McGreevy.

“I would have seen him getting bigger and growing up every year. You sort of become close in funny wee ways.

“I remember coming home from a game in a car with Anto, and just saying, ‘What’s happening?’

“‘I am taking the wee man down to the shed to show him the ropes, to know what he’s doing with a bit of joinery work - this, that and the other,’ he says.

“Anto is now thinking, ‘I have got to turn my son into a man as soon as possible’.

“Such a credit to that wee