The smile on his face gave it away that, like everyone else around him, Connacht Council president John Murphy was a Sligo man.
And a proud Sligo man at that.
Holding a regional board position like that obviously requires objectiveness and impartiality on a daily basis but this was a moment, as he presented the Connacht U20 cup to a Sligo man for the second year in a row, that he could enjoy as much as the next man.
On the steps of the Tuam Stadium stand, the Tubbercurry man remembered to do just that.
As captain Canice Mulligan said to round off his memorable captain’s speech, and don’t you forget it, ‘Sligo are a big dog now. It’s a savage time to be a Sligo supporter.’
Mulligan’s speech was the perfect way to wrap up a tremendous evening of football.
‘Big dogs’ Galway were favourites and they looked likely winners too, when they led by two points with just two minutes left on the clock. But as was the case last year, when they won their first ever Connacht U20/21 Championship, Paul Henry’s Sligo found a way to come out on top.
To do back-to-back makes it even more special.
Sub Dillon Walsh was the hero of the hour as, having transformed the game with his direct runs from deep, his last one led to the ultimate pay-off as it put him in position to score the match-winning point. Sligo people will take up the story from there that a fisted point has never known beauty like it.
On the day of his 18th birthday, this was better than any party.
Agus tá sé buaite ag Sligeach 😱
Dillion Walsh with a last minute winner for Sligo!!!@EasternHarpsGAA @sligogaapic.twitter.com/9phNm7J35A
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) April 20, 2023
Walsh was the hero but Sligo had any number of them. Luke Marren terrorised the Galway defence all night and ended his game with 0-7, 0-3 from play. Daire O’Boyle was also influential at full forward as was sub Brian Byrne in the game’s late, pivotal stages.
But everyone played their part. And Mulligan summed it all up perfectly, with a little bit of help from his fellow Sligo man Murphy. ‘Off you go,’ said Murphy, as he handed the microphone over.
“To these lads around me. Absolutely savage work-rate from them,” said Mulligan.
“We didn’t make it easy for ourselves today, we had a tough road to the final, three away games, all the big dogs but Sligo are now a fucking big dog so it doesn’t matter.
Love the tongue in cheek ‘language’ reminder from Connacht council president John Murphy.
You’d know by the smile on his face he’s a Sligo man
Less than two mins long, what a speech from Canice Mulligan.
🎥 @SportTG4 pic.twitter.com/IENNtEXqHG
— Niall McIntyre (@NiallMcintyre) April 20, 2023
“Language,” says Murphy, through a wide-smile.
“Lastly, to all the Sligo people,” continues an undeterred Mulligan, “it’s a savage time to be a Sligo supporter and today, thank you very much. Sligeach Abú.”
We think they are happy @sligogaa U20s – three games on the road… champions of Connacht. #MeninBlack pic.twitter.com/V9ejIxhagp
— Sligo GAA (@sligogaa) April 19, 2023
This party won’t stop any time soon!
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