It’s easy to see why Terence Fahy, Tomás Kelly and Aidan Harte put their faith in Ronan O’Connor as captain of their greatest ever team, writes Eoin Brennan.
A model of hard-working consistency on the field, the Feakle clubman was just as genuine off it as he spoke frankly and emotionally about St Joseph’s Tulla’s amazing journey and the gravity of such an historic achievement.
“It’s just unreal, I’m honestly lost for words. What this means to me, the team, my family everything, I’m just over the moon and so, so proud.
“It means so much and I think you can see that in the support we had today. The numbers that came out, the cheer we received and the colours they brought, it means so much to us but also clearly for them too. Even in the build up, everyone was so much behind us so this cup is for them as much as it is for us.”
O’Connor, who played every minute of this memorable journey alongside his brother Oisin, had the honour of lifting Tulla’s first Harty Cup and was also deservedly rewarded with the Man-of-the-Match award to cap off a perfect day.
“It is lovely to be all those things and I would be lying if I said it didn’t make it all the sweeter but this has come about by the 30 players that have been training three times a week and by the management. And it’s for the supporters, it’s for East Clare, it’s for the whole of Clare, this is for everyone and I’m just so proud to be a part of it.”
A five year dream through the post-primary school ranks that finally came true for O’Connor and Co.
“Since we came into the school in first year, we’ve always been a fairly special group. We won the first year competition handy enough and we’ve just been winning up along. So when the chance came along to play Harty this year, we knew that this was our time now and I think that belief stood to us over the campaign.”
It’s far from the end of the adventure though as following provincial success, an All-Ireland Senior campaign is imminent as St Joseph’s Tulla await the winners of Gort Community School and St Kieran’s College Kilkenny at the semi-final stage on the first Saturday in March.
“The hope is to push on in that competition but we’ll just try to get over the next day or two first and then I’m sure the boys will have a plan for us next week.”