It’s tough at the top.
The GAA is a means of escape for us all. For youngsters, Jesus isn’t it great to get out of the house and let loose out on the GAA field.
For parents, sure God you’re sick to the teeth of keeping an eye on the young ones, and all you need is a little bit of respite to keep you ticking over.
“Send em off to the hurling field, sure they’ll be well looked after over there.”
And that’s dead on, too, because there’s no better way for a youngster to learn the ways of the world than to be thrown into the GAA deep end.
They’ll be thought how to be teammates, how to be tough, how to become mentally strong and the likes.
Sometimes parents still fancy themselves as GAA players, and they’ll be over at that GAA field whenever they get the chance to prove their worth.
Others just go because they want to get out of that house and have the craic with the boys.
Cullion hurling club in Westmeath were preparing for a county Junior B hurling final against rivals Turin this weekend, and Dereck Kerrigan was buzzing for the game.
And why wouldn’t he be? The Junior B grade is unique because players don’t take it quite as serious as first grade GAA. They won’t be training as often, and if the miss a training session, it won’t be as detrimental for their chances of starting in the Championship.
Lads mightn’t have the time to make the commitment, but when the games come around, they’re never found wanting, because those Championship days are what they live for.
Word filtered through that the game had to be postponed, and Dereck’s wife was quick to let him know where he’ll be spending his Saturday night.
Maybe it’s a night out with the girls, maybe something else but Michelle has absolutely no mercy for the man.
Michelle was dead right, in fairness to her. He gets enough nights away with the hurling club that she might as well use him when he’s around.
Dereck was so shell-shocked that he couldn’t even muster up a response, letting his club do the talking for him.
Hat-tip to the self-proclaimed golden boy of Cullion GAA, Robbie Gillen, for sending this our way.
