McConnon on glory in New York
THE Sligo GAA scene in New York is certainly flourishing, with the team claiming a historic Senior championship and league double in 2019, their first Senior title in 35 years.
With many Yeats men and women living in the capital, the influence they have on Sligo GAA New York is thriving at the minute.
Aside from the players themselves, a lot of people are building the team be it through coaching or various behind-thescenes work.
A number of local players from Sligo have stayed long-term in the Big Apple, while others, such as Mark Breheny and Kyle Cawley have played with the team during the summer.
Among the players from the Yeats county that have settled into life in New York is Darragh McConnon.
The former Calry/St Joseph’s and Sligo Senior player has been an influential part of the Sligo GAA team in New York since 2016.
The 27-year-old defender said: “I first got involved in 2016 when I was asked would I be interested in playing for the summer. I didn’t make the impact I would have liked to with the Sligo Senior inter-county team so I decided to go Stateside for 3 months.
“After losing the championship semi-final, I went home to finish off college in IT Sligo before returning back to New York permanently the following summer.”
Darragh works as a bartender in the East Village and living in the city, the commute to games in Gaelic Park in the Bronx takes an hour. The team train on Randall’s
Island which is about 25 minutes by car. He said it’s brilliant working with such a talented bunch of players in the Sligo GAA set-up and explained how winning the Senior championship and league was down to specific team building since the summer of 2016. The team is managed by Gerry Fox, a native of Roscommon.
Darragh said the bond that exists between the players is a factor too in the team’s development over the years.
The Calry man explained: “In many situations players often come out for 3 months to play before returning home, but I feel the rise of Sligo GAA in New York is down to the bond that was created among our close knit group and that enticed many of us to stay long term.”
The path of the Sligo GAA rise began with the team runners up in the Intermediate championship final back in 2017.
The following year the lads weren’t on the losing side and did the Intermediate double in 2018, with retired Sligo inter-county star and St Mary’s man Mark Breheny playing his role in that success.
Moving on 12 months and having made the jump to the Senior grade, Sligo GAA had aspirations to go all the way and that they certainly did, with inter-county man
Kyle Cawley a big plus to the side during his summer stint in the capital.
Darragh named the Sligo players and management who, like himself, have decided to stay long-term in New York; goalkeeper Vinny Cadden and Jamie Bannigan (Coolera/Strandhill), Paul McDaid and Paddy Greene (St John’s), Paul Kelly and Colin Keane (St. Pat’s), Niall McDonagh, Brian Henry, James Brett and Tommy Brett (Curry)
“Winning the senior double with Sligo last season has to be my most memorable moment.
“After winning the Intermediate championship in 2018, our goal going into the Senior grade was to simply compete and enjoy playing at this high level with the hope of building towards the future. “To push on and win the double is an incredible achievement to which we are all ecstatic about. During this year’s Championship I played wing and centre half-back for Sligo.”
Darragh said their success was also a proud moment for the people working behind the scenes which credit must also go to, as well as their supporters across the pond.
“There are many proud Sligo men involved in this club for a very long time and in saying that they were most definitely a motivational factor behind our victories.
“These include Declan Henry and Dermott Fleming, both from Curry, Gerry McGwyne from Calry, Tomas Queenan from Enniscrone, Larry McCarthy, who is currently running for President of the GAA and Gerry Fox, manager.”
Not content with winning the double in 2019, the team is determined to keep the momentum going heading into the new season.
Darragh explained: “The plan for the forthcoming season is train hard once again and hopefully create history and win back to back Senior league and championships for Sligo GAA.”
Another big plus is having both a Junior and Senior team for the first time in 25 years. “Sligo have both teams and considering both the commuting & commitment factors that lay against us in New York this is also a helping factor to Sligo’s success over the last couple of years. We have many Irish American guys coming though the Junior teams onto the Senior squad which boosts our numbers and standard,” Darragh added, as the side look forward to what 2020 will bring.