COMMENT: Any chance Kildare can follow Mayo’s win in white?
Tommy Callaghan recounts his visit to Croke Park on All-Ireland final day where the eventual champions walked in all white
No doubt All-Ireland final day is a special day, in fact it is much more than that, it is a special occasion and Sunday was a day, regardless if you supported Mayo, Kerry or a neutral, it is a day that will live long in the memory of everyone privileged to be in Headquarters.
Never would have thought there were so many Kerry and Mayo supporters living in Lilywhite Land. Certainly if those standing waiting for the 11.05 train to Heuston on Sunday from Newbridge Train Station is anything to go on, there certainly is.
At one stage one might have thought passengers were heading to a local derby game between Moorefield and Sarsfields such was the many well-known faces we bumped into.
We spotted PJ and Jacko Whelan; Pat Flynn, native of Cong, long time Newbridge resident and chairman of Moorefield GAA who was heading to his 12th All-Ireland senior football final to see his native county play, needless to say without one victory; the Murrays, Kinsellas, O’Callaghans (Sarsfields) were all present as was Kerry native Gary Brazil looking somewhat flushed having rushed to make the train (again).
Yes, you guessed it, my luck held out, the prayers were answered and a ticket duly arrived.
So it was back to Headquarters. Bus man’s holiday no. 2 in a fortnight. Delight.
Having arrived at Heuston we headed to Cusack’s watering hole on the North Strand, which seemed to be a Mayo-only fan pub, not a Kerry shirt in sight.
There is only one thing better than an after-hours pint of plain and that is an early one, albeit a mere 20 minutes before the front door latch was officially lifted.
A pint smooth and silky, just like the performance we were about to witness.
And so off we headed, on this occasion to the Davin Stand, just right of the goal in which both goals on the day were scored.
A few well known faces in our area, Kildare’s head coach Aidan O’Rourke, well he was this season anyway; a few others from the backroom of Brian Flanagan’s extended panel were spotted.
Newbridge native Catherine Flynn, she of the other half of the aforementioned Pat (they met in Cong when Catherine worked in Ashford Castle) was relaxed and hoping for a Mayo win.
No doubt who had the greatest number of supporters - Mayo by a country mile, or even a Mayo mile, which is even bigger.
Pre-match concert-cum-entertainment over we were heading to the action we came for.
Kerry team announced and a big blow here with Diarmuid O’Connor ruled out, Tom O’Sullivan getting a start, while Mayo made two changes with Conor Loftus and Stephen Coen on the bench and Paul Tower and Diarmuid O’Connor coming in.
The teams arrived and I nearly fell out of my seat.
White. Mayo in all-white.
Not sure if they were given the go-ahead from Kildare to don the white but don it they did.
At least Pat Flynn didn’t have to invest in a new jersey, son Daryl could have fixed him up with one of his well-worn shirts, just change the Brady Family logo to one of Elvery’s and the job was oxo.
So why white I hear you ask?
Seemingly, and no I wasn’t at either the 1950 or 1951 final, when Mayo won their last two All-Irelands they wore white jerseys.
And the mind takes a ramble, a ramble back to 1998 and The Lilies in their all-white shirts taking on Galway.
Lost the run of myself for a few minutes as a quick re-think reminded me Kildare led at half-time by three against Galway before losing out in the end by four.
Incredibly that is now no less than 28 years ago.
OMG.
I checked but not a sign of Christy, Brian, Sos, Willie, Dermot, Karl, Glenn, Anthony or any of the rest of that Kildare side.
Back to reality, and I have to say I felt Mayo were really testing the waters, really testing their luck, playing an All-Ireland final on Reek Sunday, the day most of Mayo (and lots more besides) climb Croagh Patrick. Sure, how could you expect to get the rub of the green abandoning your county for a football match in Dublin when really every man, woman and child of Mayo should have been testing their hamstrings climbing the mountain; not to mention playing in all-white?
Off we went as Kerry looked on their way to their 40th title, after the boy Clifford (David) hit the net, went seven clear as the Mayo boys played very much like the county that plays in the same colours!
However, by half-time there was just a point separating the sides.
The second half belonged to the Green & Red, a goal from Darragh Beirne had them on their way; a couple of doublers from Ryan O’Donoghue; Kobe McDonald making a big impact, add in the display of Jack Carney and no doubt the best side on the day won.
Having said that there were just three points separating them, Kerry got it back to one but just could not get level, had a chance of a two-pointer near the end but it fell short as the hooter arrived.
The place went mad. Bonkers. Bananas. Crazy.
A gap of 75 years saw Mayo’s All-Ireland winning tally come up to four.
Same as Kildare if you don’t mind.
So Mayo have finally got over the line, finally put the ‘curse’ to bed.
And if Mayo can do it, what is the chance of Kildare following suit?
When you talk of the Westerners waiting 75 years to bring Sam back to Mayo, spare a thought for Kildare, in two years time, 2028, it will be 100 years since Sam arrived in the Shortgrass County.
And remember Sam’s first ever place of residence was Kildare.
So if such a scenario was to happen Sam would be returning to his original roots.
If Mayo can upset the odds, why not Kildare?
Then again ...