Who doesn’t love a happy ending?
On Wednesday of this week, we ran a story about Mayo Ladies player Aileen Gilroy and her All-Ireland Final ticket plight.
The piece touched as many hearts as it did nerves. The popular view was that a woman that had given her all for the county team – only to fall short in the semi-final – should have the chance to cheer on her male counterparts at Croke Park, this Sunday.
There's something so sad about one of Mayo's best players asking for All-Ireland tickets on Facebook https://t.co/jBgAZkgOKC #GAA
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 14, 2016
Amid the sympathising, empathising and chastising came an amazing offer from a true GAA man.
Christy Phillips had a Hogan Stand (Lower) ticket for Sunday and but he was willing to give it to Aileen. A Limerick man by birth, and upbringing, Phillips has been living in Claremorris, Mayo for the past decade ever since returning from a stint in the United States.
Phillips’ first love is hurling. He was a selector for the Mayo hurlers for a couple of years before managing them for another two. He is currently involved with the Sligo hurlers.
On Wednesday night, Phillips contacted SportsJOE and asked if we could get a message to the Mayo vice-captain. He wrote:
‘I’ll give her my own she deserves it.’
On Thursday morning, we contacted Aileen Gilroy and heard, soon after, there was an ‘80% chance’ she had a ticket. She couldn’t believe the reaction to the story.
We stayed in touch with Phillips and found a man that lives and breathes GAA. He got his ticket for the game through friends he had made from his time in America. Naturally, as often happens with us Irish, many of the friends he made there were from right here – Wexford, Down, Carlow, Kerry.
Handy folks to know when All-Ireland finals come around.
Phillips told us about the time he drove from Claremorris to Tipperary to meet a Dublin fan looking for a ticket to a past final. North Tipp was halfway point for both men. All Phillips asked was face value for the ticket and €30 to cover his diesel.
As for his offer to Aileen Gilroy, he said:
“There are genuine supporters that don’t get the tickets. It’s ridiculous.
“This girl has played for her county. It’s the least I can do. Mayo have been waiting a long time to get their hands on Sam and I think they will, this time.”
On Thursday evening the good news arrived from Mayo:
Aileen Gilroy has got a ticket for the ball.
Christy Phillips does too. Everyone is a winner.
“Even if I had given mine away,” Phillips told us today, “I’d still go up for the atmosphere. Nothing beats it.”
In our opinion, nothing beats the amazing gesture Christy Phillips made.
From one GAA fan to the next, he understands.
Stephen Rochford chats with Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour, heated Lee Keegan debate, and Barry Cahill is outnumbered by Mayo backers. Subscribe here on iTunes.
