Loyalty.
One club, one parish, one county.
It is a mantra that most GAA people hold close to their hearts.
And for one adopted Monaghan man, last night, it is more important than winning a football game.
The Farney county secured the Ulster U21 football championship with a 0-13 to 0-11 win over Tyrone in Armagh’s Athletic Grounds.
It was, by all accounts, a cracking contest. The 2015 Ulster and All-Ireland champions lead by a point at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.
However, a stirring second-half performance helped Monaghan secure only their third Ulster title ever, and first since 1999.
The final whistle was met with wild celebrations among players and the crowd, but one key figure in the success was unable to fully enjoy the occasion.
Ciaran ‘Dinky’ McBride is the Monaghan U21 football manager, but more commonly, he is known as one of the finest Tyrone footballers of the mid-1990s to early 2000s.
His side will now play either Kerry or Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final. When asked by Brian Carthy of RTE for his thoughts, after the full-time whistle, McBride could only think of his own personal pain at inflicting a loss on his native county:
“I’m absolutely delighted, no doubt about it, absolutely delighted for Monaghan football, because last Sunday they maintained their Division One status which was a huge thing. And tonight they’ve helped the supporters, that second half performance was superb.
“Obviously as a Tyrone man I don’t celebrate, and I won’t be celebrating, but when you come up against the Ulster and All-Ireland champions you have to be at your best.
Carthy then asked McBride what his emotions were like while on the sideline trying to plot a win against his native county, who are trained by two close former colleagues in Fergal Logan and Peter Canavan.
“At the end of the day I find it very very difficult to play against my own county. Your county is your county, that’s it. You’ll never ever change and you’ll never ever move and that’s it. Your heart is where you lie and that’s in Tyrone.
“It is difficult because Feargal is a gentleman, he’s my solicitor, Pete and I go back along way and it isn’t easy to play against your native county which is why I’ll admit when the final whistle blew I allowed the players and supporters enjoy the celebrations. I wasn’t taking part and won’t be taking part in any of that.”
McBride’s comments are sure to strike a note with several GAA managers up and down the country who have had to face off against their own clubs or native counties at some stage or another in championship action.
We hope that if Monaghan do get another win in the championship, just so McBrde does get to enjoy a result with his remarkable team.
