Donnelly sees similar traits to class of 2013
DAY TO REMEMBER: Gearóid Cunniffe and Darragh Donnelly lift the Andy Merrigan Cup on St. Patrick's Day 2013 to confirm St. Brigid's as All-Ireland club senior football champions for the first time. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Eleven years ago next March, Darragh Donnelly and Gearoid Cunniffe, as St. Brigid’s joint captains, walked up the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup and confirm their club as the first team from the county to collect the biggest prize in club football.
It was a short journey from the pitch to the winners’ podium but unlike the current crop of players, the road for that team was a long one for many years — collecting multiple county titles, four provincial championships, and appearing in an unsuccessful All-Ireland final before finally reaching the promised land.
Gearóid is still involved in the current squad and one of the valuable elder statesmen, while Darragh has been living and working in Dubai for the last five years.
Despite being thousands of miles away, Donnelly has certainly been closely following the incredible progress of the present team, helped by keeping in regular contact with his former team-mate Gearóid Cunniffe who keeps him updated on the football front.
His excitement ahead of the big game is clearly palpable down the phone line, as he reflects both on Brigid’s historic breakthrough in 2013 and the opportunity of more history being made on Sunday.
“When you look back to 2013, you do reminisce, but I suppose from what we've been through, we just want the younger lads to feel that they can now go and do it as well.
“They were great times and I suppose we were knocking on the door for so long. It was a case of everyone striving to get up those steps and collect the cup. We put so much effort into it over the years. It was the icing on the cake when we finally got there.
“Everything about that day, it was just special. We looked dead and buried after a few minutes and then rose from the ashes. We were building for so long, we put so much effort into it and to finally look around after the final whistle and to just see the joy on everyone's faces — the panel, supporters, management. It was just brilliant,” he reflected.
The exploits of the new generation of players is now rekindling a lot of that enthusiasm the defender felt as a player.
“This team just seems to be improving all the time, which is brilliant. Since the county final, they've just come on leaps and bounds. It's a totally different game they're playing and the last day, the first 20 minutes were just phenomenal.
“Obviously Castlehaven came back into it, they are a good team. They put on a bit of pressure. That’s going to happen because when you get to this stage of the season, you have nothing but brilliant teams left. But the lads did well to weather the storm and come out the right side of it.
“It's great to see that they have the determination and the steel to mix it at the top level. There's nothing to say that they can't get over the line. It’s a great achievement to get to where they have.
“Looking back on the Corofin match, it was just everyone expected Corofin to come out and play their usual attacking football but our lads just negated them and played them at their own game. It was brilliant to see. It just showed that the skills levels are so high in that panel of players,” he highlighted.
When he was home for Christmas, Darragh also got the clear feeling that the current team has one vital quality in common similar to what he experienced in his time as a player.
“They all seem to have great camaraderie as well, which I think it what our success was based on. We all trained as hard as we could together, we all socialised together, and I think it instilled that belief and confidence in us that, no matter who came on, they could do a job as good as the next person. And I think that is where the guys are at as well.
“I was back there at Christmas and I met nearly all of them. Actually, the first day I landed, a few of the older guys were just saying that they do have a brilliant relationship with each other. They're all good friends and basically striving to get over the line. I can't see why they wouldn't be confident going into it.
“You leave everything on the pitch for 60 minutes and everyone believes that they can get over the line.
“Glen, obviously having been there last year will give them a good bit of confidence, but at the end of the day, our lads are there on merit. They can just as easily take the opportunity and I do think that they have serious belief.
“I think the extra space in Croke Park will definitely play to our advantage as well. I just think that the sky is the limit for them and I’m really looking forward to watching the final and hopefully see them getting over the line.”
The time difference in Dubai is just four hours ahead so Darragh is excited about watching his club do the parish proud on Sunday. The occasion for him will be enhanced by the company of two other former players, Sean Kilbride and Cathal McHugh, who are located about an hour’s drive away in Abu Dhabi.
All three, who get to watch Brigid’s games together when they can, were actually considering going to Sunday’s final but jobs and geography have proved too challenging.
So Darragh’s parting advice for the current team is just seize what will be a very special day for the players, club and parish.
“It's just important that they go out and they just leave everything out on the field. It’s a once in a lifetime for most clubs. To be there a few times is absolutely unbelievable. Hopefully the lads will get inspiration from what we did after such a bad start. It just goes to prove that it's not over until it's over.
“There's no doubt that they have the talent and the ability to get over the line,” he concluded.
