A to Z
From social media king Buff Egan to going head-to-head with Davy Fitz... my highlights of a drama-filled year
Ais for AUSTIN GLEESON: By his admission, the twin crowns of Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year weighed heavy. With that mesmerising goal against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final though, the Waterford man reminded us of his absolute brilliance. If form is temporary, class is permanent. I think we’ll see him back to his best in 2018.
Bis for BALLINAMERE-DURROW: On a personal level, managing the minor hurling team to back-to-back titles with my two sons involved at different stages meant so much. Last year was only the club’s first title. This year, we were seven down in the drawn final and eight down in the replay, 10 minutes into second half. We came back and won by five. My old teammate and good friend, Daithí Regan, was there too as selector all the way.
Cis for COMMUNITY: Epitomised by the rise and rise of Slaughtneil. What the small Derry club has done over last two years is incredible between football, hurling and camogie. Their talisman Chrissy McKaigue contacted me this summer and asked could he come down and spend a bit of time with me, get my views, see if there was anything he could bring back home. I brought him out to the Faithful Fields Centre of Excellence and on to a match. It was incredible to see his passion, his drive. He’ll go far in whatever he wants to do in life.
Dis for ‘DOTSIE’ O’CALLAGHAN: A brilliant player who retired after giving everything to Dublin for 14 or 15 years. It’s easy to forget about players from counties when they’re not winning All-Irelands but his consistency and point-scoring ability was such he’d trouble anybody. No player deserved more to get his Leinster and National League medal.
Eis for BUFF EGAN: My Number One Social Influencer – never mind that he strangely didn’t make the top 100 in a recent survey. Judging by the feedback I get from young players all around the country, no one is more popular. For pure entertainment value and spreading the hurling gospel – Hail! Hail!
Fis for FAITHFUL FIELDS: After being involved in the fundraising, it was so heartening to see the official opening of Offaly’s Centre of Excellence. A fantastic facility with four full-size floodlit pitches and more. Hopefully a big boost to GAA in the county.
Gis for GALWAY: Every year that went by there was more talk of the long wait since 1987-88, more pressure piled on. To eventually overcome all that was a fantastic achievement.
David Burke’s performance in the final summed it up and his winning speech as captain was an important one and hit all the right notes. Important for hurling that Galway made the breakthrough. They look here to stay.
His for HELMET interference: One of the catchphrases of the summer. Between Stephen Bennett, Tadhg De Búrca and Austin Gleeson, it was amazing to have three Waterford players in the dock for the same offence. Bennett’s was clearcut; De Búrca’s arguably accidental. Gleeson’s explanation would hardly have got him off in a court of law but he was free to play in the final.
Iis for INSPIRATIONAL: I’m thinking of Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh here. An All Star at 34 years of age. And at wing-forward too after picking up his previous awards at centre-back and midfield.
It’s immeasurable what he has given to Waterford and the GAA – he is such a positive role model. To put together 70 appearances in the Championship is incredible. The ultimate team player.
He rounded a special year off with a 10th Waterford county football medal with Stradbally.
Jis for JOE CANNING: His wonder-point to win the semi-final against Tipperary was just one moment in his personal highlights reel. To score the last five points in that match put to bed any career criticisms.
His standards are set at such a high level, and he’s had such pressure on him since he was 16, I was delighted for him on a personal level.
Kis for TONY KEADY: The shock of his death is still there for everybody. What a great player. The applause in memory of him in the sixth minute of the AllIreland final was a touching tribute. In the support for his family and the way they were involved in the whole weekend, we saw the human, classy side of the GAA, where we are at our best. He won’t be forgotten.
Lis for LOSING THE PLOT: A year when I made the headlines myself for a couple of reasons. The reaction from grassroots to what I said about Championship matches going behind a Sky Sports paywall was phenomenal. That came out of the blue.
Then Davy Fitzgerald and myself had it hot and heavy. I thought Tipperary’s Jason Forde was hard done
by in that League semi-final spat and Davy didn’t like my opinions on the sweeper. I felt he crossed the line by getting personal.
We have met since at a charity fundraiser – and while I wouldn’t say we negotiated a Good Friday Agreement, a looser type of arrangement was arrived at.
Mis for MICHEÁL DONOGHUE: I’ve great respect for the achievements of Dublin manager Jim Gavin and Aidan O’Brien with his 28 Group One winners but thought Donoghue deserved the honour of Manager of the Year.
He delivered an All-Ireland after a 28-year-gap and did it with a lot of class, grace and humility. The photograph of him greeting his father with the Liam MacCarthy Cup was one of the moments of the year.
Nis for NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK. Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Kingston, Luke Meade – Cork’s young guns were a breath of fresh air as they stormed through Munster. Coleman in particular, epitomised the new breed with his swashbuckling wing-back play, showing the irreverence and cockiness of Cork of old, even cutting over line-balls.
Ois for CON O’CALLAGHAN: A spectacular player with Cuala and Dublin’s footballers. How would he get on against eight Waterford backs in hurling?
There’s a tinge of sadness that we might never know.
Pis for PÁRAIC DUFFY: was hugely influential. Oversaw huge change in terms of Championship structures. Also saw the GPA become fully integrated during his time, Sky come on board and corporate commercialism become a source of concern. The GAA certainly didn’t stand still in his time – time will tell if that was for better or worse.
Qis for QUALITY: Darren Morrissey springs to mind here, the Galway minor putting in an outstanding display to subdue Kilkenny talisman Adrian Mullen in the All-Ireland semi-final. And with skill, with hurling, with poise.
I was enthralled by his performance.
Ris for RETIREMENTS: This Clare team is now at a massive crossroads following the departure of Pat Donnellan, Brendan Bugler, Colin Ryan, and Darach Honan. That’s a backbone of serious experience gone. Time for the young players of 2013 to grow up fast.
Sis for SIDE-STEP: This one belongs to Jamie Barron. Extra-time against Kilkenny, chasing a first win since 1959, he charges down the middle. The sidestep takes him past Cillian Buckley and a dummy handpass later he sticks the ball in the net with his hurley upside down. Any other season he would be Hurler of the Year.
Tis for TIPPERARY: Last March, the way Tipperary were playing, it looked like they were going to be impossible to beat. The fall from grace started with the annihilation in the League final. They deserve great credit for the way they recovered from their Munster exit.
Uis for UNDER-21 success: Another year when Limerick struck All-Ireland gold. Limerick had won three-in-a-row before and never translated it to senior but there is something about this team. The future looks exciting.
Vis for VICTORS: What a clean sweep for Galway: National League, Leinster, All-Ireland, Player of the Year, Young Player of Year, Manager of Year. Enough said.
Wis for WARRIOR CODE: Jackie Tyrrell was so honest about himself, it allowed him to be honest about everything else. Brian Cody might not be happy about all the details; nor Tipperary. But if you know a hurling dressing room, it rings true. If you want searing insight into what drives someone who had serious doubts about his ability to go on and win nine AllIrelands, read this book.
Xis for X-RATED TACKLES: Damien Cahalane’s rush of blood and red card against Waterford means we’ll never know if the semi-final could have been different for Cork.
Yis for YANKS: Namely, the Fenway Classic in Boston. I’m delighted for the players who got the trip but still remain to be convinced about the full merits of the modified game.
Zis for ZONE: Gearóid McInerney’s role in patrolling the number six zone was key to Galway’s success. At 27 years of age, he proved to be the final piece of the jigsaw.