“There’s one man I have to mention before I go any further and that’s Dave Billings.”
There was one man missing from the joyful UCD celebrations on Saturday. But there was one man at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
For 20 years, University College Dublin felt Sigerson drought but, this weekend, inspired by Westmeath man John Heslin, the most successful third level outfit barged their way back to the big time and clinched their 33rd title.
A 0-10 to 2-2 victory over capital city rivals DCU was enough to take them over the line in the final but, immediately in the aftermath, amidst the celebrations, man of the match John Heslin found time to pay a wonderful tribute to college legend Dave Billings who sadly passed away last April.
“I came into the college in 2009 and he took me under his wing like I was another son,” Heslin told TG4 after UCD served his memory in the best possible way. “He taught me so much and I had to hold back a few tears in preparation for this weekend.”
Heslin hit six points of UCD’s 10 as he paved the way for Jack McCaffrey to walk the University of Ulster steps and lift the Sigerson trophy on behalf of his team and all the legends like Billings who had helped them to get back to where they belong.
And the scenes in the aftermath were amazing.
