This is a man who’s won an All-Ireland with his county. He’s won four Ulsters with Tyrone and now he’s the most senior player in the ranks.
But, for Colm Cavanagh, winning with the club was extra special.
Moy claimed their first intermediate championship in 35 years and it was celebrated like every player in Ireland dreams their own club will celebrate one day. Every single member of the club squashed into a bar, in fine colours and full voice and drinking in a moment that will last a lifetime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPbSSRcbonQ&t=38s
The soundtrack to those magical few moments was Ryan Kelly’s beautiful song, The Village They Call The Moy.
Colm Cavanagh laughed when asked about it on The GAA Hour because it was only early on in the night, according to him. Thank Christ people had the manners to cut the recording there.
But as successful as the Tyrone midfielder has been, as much of a name as he’s making for himself with the county, it’s hard to compare anything to winning with the club.
And, for Moy, a small village on the border with Armagh who have seen their clubhouse burnt down twice in recent years, this was an important achievement for so many of them.
“It’s a real community-driven club. Before them fires, there were never any problems in the Moy. Everybody gets on with their own business,” Cavanagh told SportsJOE.
“The club has faced its challenges over the last number of years but whenever a problem arises in the club, you find that everyone pulls together and that win is really going to add to that.
“You only had to see the crowds and stuff when we were coming home through the Moy how it actually lifted everyone. Everyone patting you in the back, it’s a surreal feeling.
“It’s different, I could never have comprehended it.
“I’ve won things with the county and that’s grand but when you see the whole community and the people you’ve grown up with, it’s extra special.
“It meant a lot to a lot of people and for a lot of those who have been around the club for a long, long number of years, it’s given them a serious lift.
“I’ve seen people around the streets and around the bars on Sunday night that I haven’t seen out and about in a long time.”
Listen to the full interview below from 26:00.
