Éire Óg needed ‘To Win Just Once’

The Saw Doctors have enjoyed a year to remember.

The Galway band’s iconic songs have echoed out across the Croke Park tannoy system in the height of summer.

Most famously, the “Green and Red of Mayo” enjoyed a surge in streams after Andy Moran’s side climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand back in July — so much so that it reached the number one spot on Spotify’s most-played tracks in Ireland for that month. It was the first time that the 34-year-old song had achieved this feat.

Just a week after Mayo’s win, the Galway ladies’ football team were crowned All-Ireland champions for the first time in 22 years. The shrill blast of N17, which was also used on the hurlers’ road to the All-Ireland final, served as highlights of some great days for their supporters.

Although Roscommon teams don’t have a specific “go-to” song, when thinking of how Éire Óg would have been feeling coming into Sunday’s final, having three out of the last four, my thoughts turned to another Saw Doctors hit — “To Win Just Once.” 

For Éire Óg, experiencing the joy and relief of winning a county final was what they craved. They can, of course, attack the Connacht campaign in the weeks ahead, but we hear of teams such as St. Brigid’s where the discourse among the public changes quickly towards what they can do in the Connacht campaign.

That won’t be the case for Éire Óg. The moments after Ian Monaghan brought a tense county final to a close were among the most memorable I have witnessed first-hand. As Colm Lavin pointed out even a few minutes after Éire Óg had ended their 33-year famine and atoned for previous heartbreaking defeats in finals , there were men and women in tears — simply overawed at their dreams becoming a reality.

It is the beauty of club championship. At a time when the clubs from larger demographic areas are generally starting to dominate across the country with factors such as rural depopulation making it tougher for “smaller clubs”, last Sunday possessed a rawness and a realness that would draw anybody in.

While accepting the Jamesie Murray Cup, Colm Lavin eloquently touched upon the passing of Ciarán Walsh in what was an emotional moment on a late afternoon/early evening filled with such personal snapshots. The role of a GAA club in aiding a family’s grieving process should never be underestimated.

Given Éire Óg’s story, it almost feels harsh to divert back to the actual game but, for the sake of covering all bases, we will.

Éire Óg were deserving winners, although they will need a sharp rise in performance levels if they are to emulate what Strokestown achieved in Connacht last season.

Their first-half tactics were questionable as they allowed Tulsk take the sting out of the contest while they forced the issue too much from deep, despite Brian Greene showing from the outset that he was able to win virtually every ball that was sent his way.

But, in the end, Éire Óg found a way. That tenacity and their ability to pull the game out of the fire, despite missing a load of chances, made this an incredibly sweet triumph.

To the victor goes the spoils. For the runner-up, there will be a winter of hard questions. Tulsk will wonder could they have done more in the second half. They lost the midfield battle on the resumption, particularly when Éire Óg kicked 0-4 without reply after Thomas O’Rourke, who was excellently marshalled by Joe Hester in what was a crucial match-up win for Brendan Greene’s side, tied the game.

Tulsk were like the Mayo team of James Horan’s era where they used their forwards to hold up play for their runners from deep, while they relied heavily on their half-back line for impact.

Éire Óg keeping Padraig Scott, Evan Flynn and Dylan Gaughan scoreless was pivotal but Tulsk, who do use the “slow attack” more than most teams, needed to inject greater pace into their play at different stages to keep their foes guessing.

Liam McNeill’s side will be among the favourites for the Jamesie Murray Cup next year. But, with St. Dominic’s smarting from their semi-final defeat, St. Faithleach’s dropping down and Fuerty, who beat Éire Óg and pushed St. Dominic’s to the brink in the quarter-finals, all lurking, there is no guarantee that Tulsk will secure an immediate shot at redemption.

For Éire Óg, they earned their redemption, and then some. On an afternoon that proved one moment, one victory, and one team hellbent on a singular goal can conquer their demons and prevail, all Éire Óg needed was “To Win Just Once”.

And what a win it was.