Seán McCarthyonthe Canon’s GAA knack of gettinglast10% from Page 3 sport ’sdouble heroes Saturday, July 4, 2020

Russian Emperor most credible Ballydoyle Derby contender Croker HE 2020 Investec time to find the necessary The evidenceofboth wasmightily impressive opposable, Russian Emperor Derbywillbea improvement. strongly suggests he’ll relish when winning the 2000 is fancied to power home late strangeevent,devoid Darren Stablemate Vatican City going an extra twofurlongs Guineas at Newmarket last to land the spoils. of spectators, wasamassiveeye-catcher and it’s hard to see ahorse in month. If hestays thetrip, O’Brien canalso provide Ton-course bookmakers, and Norris when second to Siskin in the the line-up being stronger at he’ll giveOisín Murphy a the answer inthe Investec the man who could today Irish 2000 Guineas but, while the finish. first Derbysuccess but, Oaks when 1000 Guineas chiefs become the most successful he may well stay amile and Seamie Heffernan’s while amile and aquarter heroine Loveshould takethe trainer in the race’s iconic quarter, his pedigree willingness to sacrifice two should be within his com- worldofbeating. She 240-year history. strongly suggests amileand weeks of domestic action to pass, the suspicion is he couldn’t havebeen any more Quarantine restrictions ahalf will provebeyond him. makethe journey to Epsom won’t quite gethomeover12 impressiveatNewmarket mean Aidan O’Brien won’t contract. Whether he de- Russian Emperor is the to ride him is afurther posi- furlongs. and her pedigree suggests be at Epsom but afield of 16 serves to be so shortinthe most credible Ballydoyle tiveand, at odds of around And whatofthe favourite? she’ll be at least as good and lay down forthe famous Classic in- betting is open to debate contender. Admittedly, the 6-1, Russian Emperor makes English King wasimpressive possibly even better over a cludes six Ballydoyle repre- given he could only finish a Galileo colt fluffed his lines considerable each-way ap- when winning the Lingfield mile and ahalf. sentatives as the master laboured fourth in the King when beaten by stablemate peal to givehis jockeyasec- DerbyTrial but whether Ed The talented Frankly trainer goes in searchofa Edward VII Stakes at Royal Cormorant in the Derrin- ond successiveEpsom Derby Walker’s charge deserves to Darling rates as an obvious record eighth Derbysuccess. Ascot in his Derbyprep stown Stud Trial Stakes at win. be quite so shortisquestion- danger but she didn’t look O’Brien seems unsurewho run. Leopardstown on his season- Thatbeing said, there’s able and being drawn in stall entirely straightforward the law his primary contender is but He has reportedly thrived al reappearance but he made little doubt thatKamekois one complicates matters for when winning the Ribbles- when it emerged Thursday since but the Ascot race was amends when powering the classiest horse in the Frankie Dettori. dale Stakes at Royal Ascot thatRyan Moorewould only 18 days ago and there home late on to win the race. AGroup 1winner at It promises to be afasci- and may find Lovetoo tough John Fogarty Last week, GAA director partner Mogul it was has to be adoubt about Hampton CourtStakes at two, the Andrew Balding- nating contest but, with the anut to crack. generalTom Ryan said they inevitable his price would whether that’s sufficient Royal Ascot. trained son of Kitten’s Joy top three in the market all Continued on Page 8 County chairpersonshave could look at sanctionsata been told they willbeheld later date although he was responsible should their reticent about dolling out county teams be found to punishments. havetrained beforeSeptem- He said: “It hasn’t been a ber 14. summer forpenalties and for The possibility of their sanctions and I’m not really sides being thrown out of the surethat’s the right realm Championship also has not forthis thing either. We have been ruled out as chairs were to do an awful lot of things given awarning by Croke right in order forustoget to Park officials in aconference thatstage(organisinginter- meeting yesterday. countygames) andpartof The chairpersonsthem- thatisabiding by the time- selves havebeen told they lines and principles that will be the ones who are we’veset out. suspended in the event thata “We’ll be asking people to chargeofbreaching the club abide by those because window beforeSeptember they’rethe right thing to do. 14, the official startdatefor If there’s asecond stage inter-county training, is required in terms of sanc- proven. tions and penalties and so Theoffence forsuchwill on, yeah of course we’ll look be considered “misconduct at that.” considered to havedis- In the conferencecall, credited the Association”, Horan is also understood to whichisoutlined in Rule 7.2 havehighlighted the issue of (e) of the GAA’s Official counties breaching GAA Guide. Suspension is amini- rules regarding training mum of eight weeks fora camps twoyearsago. member while debarment Tencounties were initially and expulsion from the GAA informed they had acase to may also be considered. For answer fororganising camps ateam, afine, disqualifi- but only Waterford’s hurlers cation, and expulsionfrom and the footballers of the GAA arealsodeemed ap- Armaghand Laois were propriate penalties. punished and lost home The Irish Examiner under- advantagefor one Allianz stands thatCroke Park hope League game last year. the direct threatofembar- Meanwhile, ClareGAA rassmenttothe chairper- treasurer Michael Gallagher sons will be enough to en- has warned thatthe county surecounty teams cease board could go bust if it training until thattime. Any doesnot rein in its expendi- chair whose county has been ture. charged with trainingprior Thatwas his stark warn- to the middle of September ing at last Monday’sboard will have48hours to respond meeting held in CusackPark to the claim. wheredelegates were told a After last week ruling out €250,000 bank loan must be sanctioning countieswho repaid to AIBbythe end of breachthe September 14 the year. guideline, the GAA this week With Clareaccruing no hardened their stance in the income at present, Gallagher wake of negativecommen- admitted he has no idea tary thattheir insistence on wherethe money will come the date being respected was from forthatand expressed soft. concern about whathad CrokePark had hoped the been spent on preparing lackofinsurance would be inter-county teams, which enough of adeterrent to stop he said had become “a run- teams convening fortraining away train” with “threeto sessions. However, aside four physios” treating teams, from the criticism of their and “backroom teams of 18 How will the sport look this his last three appearances at team-mate Carlos Sainz, handling of the issue last people”. season? the Red Bull Ring —but who heads to Ferrari in 2021. week, further anecdotal evi- Accordingtothe Clare whether thesuper-talented denceofcounties training is Echo,Gallagher stated thatif The record-breaking 22-race F1: The key questions Dutchman can match Will this be Vettel’s last also believedtohavecon- the costs weren’t cut“Clare calendar waseffectively Hamilton over thecourse of season? vinced top officials to act. County Boardwillgobust”. tornupfollowingthe out- hopeful of announcing at drivers. Face masks will be steering system (DAS) the year is uncertain. SebastianVettel may have While GAA president Gallagher’s remarks break of coronavirus. The leastafurther eight races, prevalentinthe pit-lane, which is set to provide Ha- four worldchampionships John Horan ruled out the about inter-county teams Austrian Grand Prix will with the campaign to end in while alltravelling person- milton and team-mate Valt- And what about the rest? but he does not haveadrive idea of teams being sanc- were challenged by Kilmaley mark the first of eight races Abu Dhabi in the middle of nel arerequired to be tested teri Bottas with afresh edge McLaren will be keen to fornext yearafter being tioned forcontravening the delegateand senior in 10 whirlwind weeks. December. Therewillbeno forCovid-19 every five days. this term. Ferrari havebeen build on an encouraging dumped by Ferrari. guideline,hedid encourage team kitman Niall Romer Spielberg’s Red BullRing Monaco Grand Prix on an F1 forced to use the prolonged 2019 wherethey finished be- The Scuderia haveident- people to come forward with who highlighted senior hurl- will host the opening two schedule forthe first time Is Lewis Hamilton the break to redesign their car hind only Mercedes, Ferra- ified Charles Leclerc as their information on any who ing manager Brian Lohan rounds (July 5and 12) before since 1954. The races in Aus- favourite to win the title? after several issues during ri, and Red Bull in the futureand decided against were believedtobetraining. wasn’ttaking expenses and Hungary (July 19). There tralia, Azerbaijan, and In March, Hamilton’s Mer- testing, but their updated constructors’ standings. extending Vettel’s contract. He reiterated that pointto the backroom team was willthen be tworacesat Japanhavealsobeen can- cedes team ended an impres- machine is unlikely to be Lando Norris enjoyed a Mercedes areyet to confirm county chairs yesterday but “very small”. Silverstone (August 2and 9) celled. Spectators are sivepre-season campaign readyuntil the third round strong rookie campaign, but, theirline-up fornext year, highlighted therewould be He also highlighted beforerounds in Spain (Au- banned, team numbers have with the fastest lap and the of the campaign in Hungary. as he entershis second sea- butwhile it seems improb- serious repercussions for players had not yet received gust16),Belgium (August been limited, and therewill greatest number of miles. Max Verstappen will son, therewill be greater able that Hamilton will any countiesfound to have gear, whichchairmanJoe 30) and Italy(September 6). be no customary champagne They also reinvented the continue to lead Red Bull’s pressureonthe 20-year-old leave, Bottas could be moved prematurely returned to col- Cooney said would be The sport’s bosses remain spraying forthe top-three wheelwith their dual-axis attack. He has twowins from to regularly compete with on. lectivetraining. addressed. Demise of the toy snooker table underlines the fragility of all we hold sacred HERE arenosnooker tables in sporting entertainment of the year — no learnings yet, whateverabout viction. Today’s central lament bears to discouragemisspent youths. Thatwas the dream. But sadly, as we Smyths Toys. the inside story of Spurs’ season on work-ons. Many of them seem to have repeating —thereare currently no Of course, thereare allthe options in weigh our first worldproblems, there Let thatsink in. Amazon. settled on the same party line, thatthis snooker tables in Smyths Toys. And it’s the worldifyou favour the crude busi- invariably comes atime in so many File thatone alongside There’s nothing either forthe merciful small break will extend their not thatthey areout of stock, the ness ofair hockey —snookerasplayed lives and careers wherechildhood Tthe nine million bicycles in diehards who turn up to watchthe careers. snooker table appears to havebeen by Tony Pulis’ Stoke. dreams arescaled down, and the vow Beijing and other startling county train. GAA training Though you wonder about this real- scrubbed from our culture. Granted, you can still buy snooker becomes to do up the attic one day — cultural statistics of our time. sessions havebecome the most il- isation thatnot playing rugbyisthe tables frommany reputablestockists and getinapool table. For some of us, Thankfully, we have space licit contraband in the state. best means of staying fittoplayrugby, ECALL, if you were so lucky, across the land. But it wasstill ajoltto even thatproveselusive. And there to reflect on these important If anything hastens the end of and whatitsaysabout the futureofthe the arrival of your first 30-inch see the beautiful game banished from must be alifelesson theresomewhere, developments and whatthey WhatsApp and the migration to sport. table. the mainstream, underlining the fragil- thatwecan toil day after day in the rat mean. Since many of us re- unbreachable messaging systems We havepaidtribute herebeforeto Youmightn’thaveheld for ity of all we hold sacred. race while still failingtomakethis one main in aholding pattern. likeSignal and Threema, it will snooker’s braveresistance to change in theRblacktoo often, but therewas still Youfeel acertainresponsibility to fu- changeweknow will improvethe In this fast-paced social surely be the organisation of the face of constant fretting about its fu- purejoy in poking those plastic marbles tureanthropologists to leavebehind quality of our lives —apooltable, with media age, the Premier get-togethers forcountymen. ture. The grand old game remains the around with knitting needle cues. cluestoour lost civilisation. And to cel- aslate bed and ball return system. League title is long Weren’t they simpler times same as in its pomp. When therewas a Maybe you enjoyed the life-changing ebrate the place those first snooker It probably says it all about the funda- forgotten, judging by when the greatest logistical wide rangeofsnooker tables available graduation to four feetbytwo,oreven tables played in ourlives. mentally flawed human condition that Kloppo’s humour the challengewas how to in any reputable toy shop. the expansiveacreageofsix by three. To many, it is the single most mean- our homes become filled with the kinds other night. And as quietly pay the manager? Even as it slipped from our TV And discovered the perfect girth of a ingful metric of wealth —your snooker of things thatmakeitimpossible to fitin Martin Tyler rem- The rugbylads, at least, screens, snookercountenanced nofiga- Reader’s Digest,for slipping under aleg table and its size. No property can jus- apool table. Suchaswives. inded us, the con- havestarted to talk rys with the coreproduct, no bonus to eliminateroll. tifiably be described as ‘lavish’ unless it But the human spirit is resilient and clusion of thatother again, though thereare points forgetting out the double exten- With birthday season looming forthe holds at least one. When The Sun last this is the season when we go again. little competition Sky sion, noblackcard forcynically incess- youngsters in this house, naturally at- week profiled Scottish comedian Kevin Planting seeds and dreaming childhood no longer has rights to ant cleaning of the cue ball. tempts were being made to steer the Bridges’ ‘amazing Glasgow home’, what dreams. Old gambits arerecycled and is awhile away yet: If this wasGaelicfootball, they’d conversation down certain channels, got top billing? Of course it wasthe we haveone morelookonlineatthat “This season’s Cham- havebeen ruing lost skills and contriv- out of earshot of ‘er indoors. ‘full-sized’ snooker table. beautiful 7x4 table crafted from the pions League, if you Larry ing rule changes to restorethem, per- Only to discover the tragic truth. Theremust havebeen atime when it finest hardwoods and Italian slate. havebeen following it, haps installed achicane around the Itell asmall lie. Thereisatiny 40cm ranked high among the answers sup- The one thatconvertsinto adining will resume in August.” Ryan blackspot to encourageswerving the ‘pool table’ in Smyths, foratenner. You plied to career guidance counsellors — table, foremergencies. The wait may be even cue ball. know yourself, the reviews arenot ‘whateveryou think will getmeenough And yet, even as she hears yousay longer forthe most But snooker stucktoits guns and kind. It might even be abum steer, money forafull-sized snooker table one those reasonable words, it’s as if she eagerly anticipated sadly has not been rewarded forits con- planted by some well-meaning agency day’. doesn’t really hear you at all. Irish Examiner Saturday, 9.05.2020 Sport 19 ‘It was the Carlsberg

job, paid to Brendan O’Reilly presented the first ‘Sports Stadium, on September 22, 1973. bring sport Picture: RTÉ Stills Library to the ’ Larry Ryan talks to Michael Lyster, Stephen Alkin, George Hamilton, Maurice Reidy and Michael O’Carroll to recall the heyday of RTÉ’s flagship Saturday show ‘Sports Stadium’.

The ‘Sports Stadium’ team from 1985. Presenters Noel Reid (left) and George Hamilton are seated. Standing (L-R); Max Mulvihill (producer), Stephen Alkin (producer), Mike Horgan (editor), Brian McSharry (editor and commentator), Patricia Murphy (producer), Maurice Reidy (editor). Picture courtesy RTE Stills Library. Right: Michael Lyster on ‘Sports Stadium’.

OW we have no sport, maybe the first hour then hand over to Fred his name was Michael O’Connell, you Michael O’Carroll: “The loveliest Remember in England at that time, you THE END it’s easier to look back at Cogley at the Irish Open for the next might have heard of him... Yes, the great man.” couldn’t even announce your radio Sports Stadium and consider four. Mick O’Connell. And I think he was Stephen Alkin: “An amazing char- commentary match until 3pm and you From 1988, the theme tune was Eu- those to be glory days. “And as I hand over, the first thing I there for a couple of weeks because he acter. An absolute gentleman, the love- were only allowed to cover the second rope’s ‘The Final Countdown’. The NHappier times, when the only disease see is Fred taking out an umbrella. And was so successful. liest man you’ll ever meet.” half.” countdown gathered pace when Sky we knew was the liver fluke and brucel- next thing I hear is ‘golf has been sus- “Eventually he got tired of coming up George Hamilton: “A lovely fella, Reidy: “The 3pm games were a huge Television launched in February, 1989. losis and scour infecting every second pended for the day’. Then a five-second and we got Billy Coleman to do it.” very gregarious. A charmer.” coup for our late boss.” By 1997, it hit zero, with the battle for advert. delay, while I could hear the director, I Gradually, a show took some sort of But was Brendan born to present They were the ratings winner, and 3pm finally lost. We hadn’t much of anything but we think Max Mulvihill, saying ‘ah, what shape. Boxing highlights from the Sta- Sports Stadium? George took up where he had left off on Alkin: “Then we started Premier had a little of a lot. did Fred just say there’. dium. A few League of goals Lyster: “He was probably writing a BBC Radio 2, traversing Britain every Soccer Saturday in ‘98. The day the ref- And we arguably had too much rac- “And then the shit hit the fan. And from the week before. Last Sunday’s song in his head some of the time.” Saturday. What sticks in his mind is all eree (Paul) Alcock was pushed over, ing. Every Saturday, we were at Naas, Fred was handing back to me and we hurling or football. Alkin: “Athletics was his bag, and he the climbing. Those days, a commen- that was the very first programme. It or Newbury, or the Curragh. Non- had nothing.” “It wasn’t easy. Our relationship with didn’t really know much about football, tator needed a head for heights as much was timed to start right opposite the runner number nine, 11 ran. And it was He recalled a story about Terry the GAA was always fraught because racing or Gaelic. The producer or editor as facts. launch of TV3. Tim O’Connor’s idea. always raining. Wogan, in his time as a continuity an- they didn’t want to give us live matches. would be constantly in his ear, Arsenal “The glamour factor when there was And we were turning it all around for But we had a lot more besides. A scat- nouncer on RTÉ Radio, on a day when it Just the All-Ireland finals and semi-fin- 1 Manchester 0, so and so the scorer, no health and safety! Grimsby v Ar- 7pm. It was a huge ask.” tering of seeds that grew a love of sport. all broke down. How Terry got out an als and the Railway Cup.” and it was like a foreign language to senal in the FA Cup. January in Clee- Fine Gael TD Bernard Allen had And a few magic beans. RTÉ Guide and just read, holding court Much like BBC created Pot Black to Brendan.” thorpes. Up this fire escape and across stood up in the Dáil and talked of a Over 40? Shut your eyes and see what in that way he had. show snooker in half-hour chunks, Hamilton: “There was the famed day the roof of the stand and a blast coming “pathetic surrender to the greedy em- floods back. “And I happened to have a copy of it O’Carroll and Mick Dunne came up when he was handed news from the golf in from the North Sea. pire of Rupert Murdoch and Sky Hockey from Three Rock Rovers. on the desk and said, if it was good with the Top Ace format for handball, to and the leader in the clubhouse was “Or Plough Lane, where the stand Sports”. Shannon in the AIL. Niall Quinn’s enough for Terry… So I just started help fill Sports Stadium. Gerry Pate. He read it as Gerry pâté.” was on the roadside, so the ladder was But by the end, Sports Stadium had debut goal for Arsenal against Liver- reeling things off. ‘Here’s a programme Dunne — owner of that magnificently O’Carroll: “There were some terrible actually on the footpath outside. Climb- not been satisfying many. pool. Pat Kirby in the handball. Cross- you might be interested in on Tuesday’. nasal ‘ohhhh what a goaaaal’ voice — tricks played on him. Scottish football ing up this huge ladder, no cage, going Even fans of minority sports wanted country. Mick Dunne’s goals and saves And I could hear footsteps running and created Gaelic Stadium with Reidy, pre- ‘Hearts v Lungs’, that kind of thing. vertically all the way up to the top of the more than 20 minutes of last week’s ac- of the year. I knew it was Brian McSharry desper- viewing games. Guys who thought they were funny by stand, on a South London street.” tion. Luton’s plastic pitch and Steve ately looking for a tape, any tape, to And Michael O’Carroll kept pitching writing that on a piece of paper and Goodison was another deathtrap. Alkin: “As the final editor of Sports Foster’s headband. Kerry Dixon pro- shove into a machine.” ideas. Brendan would read it on air. But Bren- When he had a co-comm, George always Stadium, I can say that I was in charge jecting every ounce of fluid from his We probably didn’t appreciate the joy “You’d say, can I have 25 or 30 min- dan really wanted to be a singer and do sent John Giles up the ladder first. Until during its demise. However, RTÉ body by placing one finger on the adjac- in all that, back then. They didn’t on the utes. It was political really. You had to light entertainment. So he was devil- one day at QPR, when Gilesy got stuck moved to a tranche of live programming ent nostril. The cars parked behind the switchboard, which often lit up. lobby. You’d have to ask fellas, if I bring may-care.” in traffic. to better compete with Sky Sports and Stamford Bridge goal. A union strike “Did we get complaints, did we this up at a meeting, will you support Perhaps one story from his athletics “It must have been the start of the the emerging TV3.” when Fred Cogley had to commentate what?” laughs Maurice Reidy, regarded me. And once you got a good career encapsulates O’Reilly’s even health and safety era. Because they Long after the chaos, what they re- on everything. among RTÉ’s finest editors. pulled up the ladder at quarter to three member best is the fun. ‘Now to rallying’. Or Bowling. Dogs. “When we started doing the rugby, and John arrived at ten to. And they Lyster: “In my early days, they put Basketball. Boxing. Pitch ‘n Putt. Tug of turning around highlights the same wouldn’t put it down again for him until me together with Tracy Piggott. Tim War. YouTube confirms Sports Stadium day, there was great juggling of tapes (Sports Stadium) was a bit of half-time. So we had no Gilesy until the O’Connor thought it was very funny — showed the World Tug of War Cham- and people. Greystones, Blackrock, second half.” Lyster-Piggott. pionships from Oriel Park. And footage Cork Con, crowds of 10,000 or more, and Soon, everything was delayed until “There was a great atmosphere. They of the Boley boys from Wexford digging you’d have three or four motorbikes this, a bit of that. Half the time it nearly half-time. used put on a tab in the social club on very deep suggests that may well be the standing by to get the tapes to studio. Alkin: “By the early 90s, Sky had the Saturday evening. The notion was day the pitch’s problems began. The first tape would be driven away was chaos, seat of your pants started making shapes. They were to entertain any guest we had on the Happier times? More democratic any- after 20 minutes and set up. You were spending fortunes, why was Ireland get- programme. But when we finished at way. Perhaps the heyday of all sports hoping there was no crash or traffic doesn’t describe it ting it for free. They saw Ireland as a po- half five or whatever, any guests were outside the big guns in the struggle for problems. And you didn’t know until tential market in the future. So we had long since gone home. So we drank the hearts and minds. you had the tape in the machine “ to start deferring coverage by half an tab ourselves. Now people finish a pro- “It totally was,” says Michael Lyster, whether you had pictures or not. It was programme out of it and got a reaction, nature. Competing in Ohio, he had hour, go on air at 3.30.” gramme and go home. Those days are in the presenter’s chair from 1985. “We very hairy stuff, hard on the nerves, but you got to do it again. knocked the bar twice when an official Almost live added another layer of gone.” weren’t really paying any rights fees. it was exciting.” “So we’d do highlights of the Tour of advised his approach was a bit sharp complication. Reidy: “Looking back, it was a great But when we started writing big One thing they all agree on — the Ireland or the Dunlop Rally.” and would he not think of moving it out Reidy: “We’d record up to about 3.20, place to work and RTÉ was a very good cheques to the GAA or IRFU or man you need to talk to first is Michael “Michael was the first to introduce a bit. take that tape off and set it up for trans- employer. I loved the place. I have great whoever, everything else kind of got O’Carroll. The innovator. same day coverage of a rally, even be- Not every athlete would take counsel mission. We’d get three or four tapes memories.” wiped off the slate. fore the big boys like Eurosport,” says on board at times of stress, but Brendan per game. But if anything went wrong, Alkin: “It was a privilege and an hon- “You could watch 20 minutes of THE BEGINNING Reidy. “And he was a great innovator of did and got over next time. He only real- or there was a delay… And one day the our. It was the Carlsberg job, paid to handball and then maybe a horse race. The real Michael O’Carroll interview coverage in cycling. We had no experi- ised later the official was the legendary goalkeeper was injured for ages and we bring sport to the Irish people.” It catered for everybody. You can find will need more space. When he has the ence of it. He was the first to organise Jesse Owens. ran out of tape and eventually we had to The sadness now is around when the minority sports now on your TV, book out. Would you believe he just fin- live helicopter coverage.” Maybe he just didn’t do stress. And go live. And then the phone rings and it they meet up. but you have to decide to watch the ished it the day I rang? For the children, “Nobody created events and got them amid all the mayhem and politics was this guy from the BBC, ‘we’ve no- Michael O’Carroll often calls out to whole thing. And people aren’t necess- even if nobody else reads it. to air like he did,” says Alkin. “He had around him, perhaps not wanting it too ticed you’re live. We’ll discuss the his old pal Maurice Reidy. But so many arily interested enough. He’s 84 now, living in Foxrock, but that American entrepreneurial spirit. much was key to O’Reilly becoming the matter on Monday, it could well lead to of the others are gone. “I remember presenting the hockey from Dunkerrin, on the border of the The Nissan Classic cycle races, he made face of sport on RTÉ for so long. the loss of your contract’. Turns out Brendan O’Reilly, Noel Reid, Mick from Three Rock. And it would be a full promised land. So a Tipp hurling nut those happen.” After Brendan’s death in 2001, an- someone inhouse did it as a prank. But I Dunne, Fred Cogley, Tim O’Connor. outside broadcast. All the coloured wa- with a soft spot for Offaly. Michael O’Carroll worked with them other of Sports Stadium’s long-serving spent the whole weekend worrying.” Brian McSharry, the voice of show- gons would show up and it was kind of a This man learned TV in the States, all. He rates George Hamilton, who editors, Mike Horgan, remembered his Alkin: “There was one funny day. jumping. Brendan Delaney, the voice of big deal. The fact the national broad- but first he served in the merchant often served as main presenter during air of innocence. A man with no agen- Newcastle were playing. Somehow or results from start to finish. caster was there would give it a status.” navy as a pastry chef. He was in Cuba the summer, “one of the best perform- das or malice. And a quality he had other, it got really screwed up. They “Myself and Noel were together at Stephen Alkin, on board as editor or the day Castro took over and jumped ers I’ve ever come across as a producer. never seen in a TV studio before. were one-inch tape machines, pretty Brendan’s funeral and then Noel him- producer from 1983, as well as soccer ship. He covered 40 All-Ireland finals as You just ask George to say something “A total lack of nerves. Utterly nerve- cumbersome. And it was a nightmare. self passed away,” says Lyster. commentator, was when it sank TV director. “Pushing the button to and it comes out exactly as you less.” Whoever it was had two machines to “Noel was a wonderful man,” says in 1997. change the picture”. wanted.” record and play back and got mixed up. Hamilton. “I have seen sport move from being He produced Know Your Sport, until But for a long time his main man was AND IT’S NEARLY LIVE So we put out the end of the match in the “After he retired he threw himself owned by the people to being owned by somebody told him it “wasn’t RTÉ the unique Brendan O’Reilly. Alkin: “I was the only one in the wrong order, missing a goal. And it was into life with the County choir. I billionaires. Everything in sport is now enough”. He survived a heart attack at sports department interested in do- a 3-2 match.” would hear from him before every con- contingent on television and what 42 but almost died in a helicopter crash THIS CHARMING MAN mestic football, the only one pushing They all, in turn, mention one other cert for a plug on the radio. television is prepared to pay.” shooting footage of the gallops at You’d need another book for the late the League of Ireland and it was a hard word about those 3pm games. Hillsbor- “I can imagine sitting beside him Not that any of them will say it was Ballydoyle, for a piece on Derby horse, Brendan O’Reilly. Ronnie O’Sullivan task. Tim O’Connor loved soccer but ough. while the racing is on. A sound operator perfect then. Things didn’t always run Celini. But we’ll let Michael keep those couldn’t pot his history. what he wanted was the big stuff. He got Reidy and Alkin were working back called John Hederman (who died in smoothly. Aprés Match of the Day cap- yarns for the book. Top 10 in the world at the high jump. RTÉ the First Division.” at base, with Hamilton on the scene, 2007) made it his business to photocopy tures the mayhem well. Before digital, Today, he’s just the producer of the World class decathlete. Singer-song- Lyster: “Not only English games, but and the horror will forever live with the Irish Times Crosaire crossword and before computers. When live meant un- first Sports Stadium, on September 22, writer. Composer of the Olympic Song we got coverage of Scottish matches as them. As they turned news reporters, deliver it to every member of the crew. predictable. When the director was 1973. And he remembers it like yester- ‘Let the Nations Play’ and the ‘Ballad of well. I remember Rod Stewart, if we had trying to make sense of devastation. So there would be a competition to see forever telling the presenter to fill a bit day. Michael Collins’. Documentary maker. Celtic on Sports Stadium, used to fly “An ordinary day that turned into one who could finish it by the end of the more. “It was presented by Brendan O’Re- Actor in 1971 film Flight of the Doves. over to Ireland to watch the match. Be- of the worst days of my life,” is how show.” “Especially Sports Stadium, because illy. We decided we’d have a special Is it urban legend that he was pipped cause he was a tax exile in Britain at the Alkin puts it. When the show ended for good, on De- it was a bit of this, a bit of that. Half the guest every week, and we had a lot of by Sean Connery to be Bond? You time.” Reidy recalls another grim Saturday cember 20, 1997, with Brendan O’Reilly time it was chaos, seat of your pants racing so we decided this guest would couldn’t rule it out. Hamilton: “Tim was very astute evening in 1981, when they were turfed back in the hotseat alongside Tracy Pig- doesn’t describe it,” says Lyster. pick a couple of what he would hope to On one thing they are unanimous. at playing the small station card and out of studio before the show finished gott, the final credits rolled to the He remembers well the afternoon he be winners. Michael Lyster: “I loved him. A lovely getting things that RTÉ had no right to by the news crew, because word was strains of ‘Those were the days, my landed into Montrose for a soft shift. Do “The first guest got five winners and guy. A real gentleman.” get. He spotted a loophole in the rights. breaking of the Stardust fire. friend’. Irish Examiner Irish Examiner 20 Sport Saturday, 23.05.2020 Saturday, 23.05.2020 Sport 21

T might appear flippant to itemise it should be. But my swelling is mild. Eoin O’Sullivan’s extraordinary I’m lucky. I wear a compression sock story in the context of club hurling and I’m disciplined in wearing it.” matches. But Eoin wouldn’t see it They’d patched up his foot with a likIe that. A four-time Cork SHC winner with graft from his thigh and now they “It’s all linked with the hurling for stapled a 10-inch wound running down me,” he says. “You can link every from his groin. Sarsfields, Eoin O’Sullivan got a stark Did a defeat surgery, every treatment, every set- Until all this, the boy born with a back, to the game I got back for.” hurley had never had a stitch. Want to offend Eoin? Suggest that all diagnosis five years ago. Ever since, he he has been through must put sport in MAY 22, 2016: MUNSTER IHC perspective; that he’s got bigger Taking on every has drawn strength from hurling and QUARTER-FINAL, TIPPERARY 3-20, problems than a free drifting wide. CORK 1-15 “I don’t think anything healthwise to Meath You need to know the kind of dreamer his club. And inspired everyone in that would impact on how I’d view a mis- he was, that boy born with a hurley. take, or anything like that. Because a Cork superstar was his club with his incredible courage, game is still the biggest thing in the idol. And one year, Eoin’s devoted world to me.” mother Mary dispatched a letter to the Call it obsession. Call it love. bank, in the name of her besotted son, writes Larry Ryan It’s unfair that none of the matches addressed to Joe Deane. help shape that won Eoin his four Cork senior obstacle to get She put a phone number on the letter championship medals will feature here. and one day the house phone rang and Nor will any of his appearances for it was Joe, just ringing to have a chat. the Cork minors or the U21s. Eoin was 12 and his day, month, and But in the five years since the last of life were made. He kept the number that those triumphant seasons, through all showed up on the phone, and so, before he has dealt with, he has drawn every Cork championship game, from Dublin strength from hurling and from his that day on, he’d text Joe. club. “The morning of the game,” he It would be crass to tell his story in back on the field laughs. “I was probably annoying him. terms of winning and losing. Illness But he used always text me back.” doesn’t work that way. But Eoin’s sport Joe has his own experience with tes- has always given him a chance to feel ticular cancer and he reached out again like he’s winning. Given him one con- dynasty? last year and the two hurlers shared a stant, driving focus: To get back on the long lunch, which meant as much as field. that first phonecall. So, we start, not at the beginning, but Back in 2016, it was the blood and FIGHTING ON: Through all he has in Páirc Uí Rinn last August, the night bandage of Cork firing up Eoin for his said that, Dublin have been fortunate of the Douglas shopping centre fire, first of many comebacks. dealt with, Eoin O’Sullivan has as well even though they have a superb when Eoin’s beloved Sarsfields ended “I’d been going to Declan O’Sullivan, drawn strength from hurling and John bunch of players. It will be interesting the latest Douglas championship the physio with Cork, since I was 14. He from his club. Picture: Larry Cummins when two or three of those players go, dream. was excellent, setting me up with rehab will the replacements be as good or That evening, Eoin’s mind wandered, and a plan to return. Fogarty will it level off? despite everything he has taught him- “It was slow enough; maybe around “A few of their All-, they self about staying locked in the mo- April I got back training. were lucky to win. Mayo probably ment, about refusing to glance up the “And when I was easing myself back should have beaten them. I thought track. A few times, crouched over the with the club, I played a challenge game even the first one they won in 2011 sliotar, in the autumn dusk, he let the against Meelin, with our intermediates. when (Stephen) Cluxton got the point, weight of it all lean on him. Ronan Dwane was in charge of them ESTMEATH were supposed Kerry threw that one away more than But he still nailed those crucial frees. and I played quite well. And he was to be the quarry this wee- Dublin won it. Kerry had the game won “Thank God.” Cork’s intermediate manager. So off the kend. was to and started fluting around and even back of that, he brought me in. make his senior Champion- the last free that Cluxton kicked over AUGUST 31, 2019: CORK SHC ROUND shipW debut as manager, but everything was on the soft side. They won two “And I started with Cork intermedi- 3: SARSFIELDS 0-19, DOUGLAS 0-15 ates against Tipp, in Thurles, the day else would carry on as normal. All-Irelands after replays. For all their Sars were two up, three minutes left, the Cork seniors were hammered by Dublin would extend their winning brilliance, two All-Irelands could have when Eoin O’Sullivan hunched over an- Tipp in the lashing rain. run in Leinster to 28 games and make it gone another way. other. He’d already stuck over 10, but “We were hammered before it as well. an extraordinary 45 provincial wins “But Leinster is worrying in that this was right on the sideline, just in But that was something I was really from 46 games since 2005. there isn’t a lot of competition there. front of the Douglas dugout. proud of. I didn’t play that well or any- Provincial football hasn’t known If he heard anything from behind thing. But to get back to that stage so domination like it — Dublin’s ninth him, it was drowned out by the voices in soon, it sort of showed me how big sport consecutive Delaney Cup last year It’s very his head. “I knew I had this surgery the was for me. It can make you feel like eclipsed Kerry’s two eight-in-a-rows in Tuesday after, in the Mercy. you’re winning. Munster. Not many of the current worrying “I remember even during those frees, “The way melanoma goes, you get Dublin panel know much about the last couple... They were big frees. I something removed, you watch it, Leinster defeats either — Stephen Clux- was saying to myself, ‘you’re going to be watch it; something pops up, you deal ton, Philly McMahon, Rory O’Carroll, when one lying down for how long after this? with it; you watch and watch. Scan , Michael Darragh Make sure you can look back and be every three months. Macauley, and Kevin McManamon the team dominates, happy about these frees going over. “But I felt great, I felt perfect. There only players who were involved in the Don’t miss them’. I shouldn’t have been was nothing really holding me back. As last Leinster SFC loss 10 years ago. “it’s not good for thinking like that.” far as I knew, there was no disease in Bearing in mind they went on to The Irish Examiner streamed it live. my body. There was no evidence of any- claim 25 All-Ireland medals and nine The ball hadn’t travelled 10 yards be- thing.” All-Stars between them, it’s incredible the game, but you fore Cork legend de- to think that the first four men in that livered his verdict in commentary: “He AUGUST 28, 2016: CORK SHC, ROUND list were cruelly exposed that day as can’t blame has it! The minute he struck the ball, 4: SARSFIELDS 1-15, MIDLETON 2-21 Meath took them for five goals. the hand was up: He knew it was on its He badly wants them all to know how It didn’t feel like a watershed moment Dublin for that way.” much he appreciates them. for then Meath manager Eamonn Moments later, Eoin launched an- His dad, David, who’d drop every- O’Brien, but there was a naivety to other and Sars were insured. Cunning- thing, any time, and drive anywhere. Dublin’s game that spent the Meath, Kildare, the teams you expect ham’s full-time debrief selected the Mom, who keeps track of every ap- rest of the summer eradicating. (to challenge Dublin), are still not hour’s hero. pointment; logs every twist in this road. “They left themselves exposed a lot at going to be there in the next year or “The star man for me tonight was Nan Bridie, who just loves him. the back that day,” recalls O’Brien. two. They don’t seem to be ready to Eoin O’Sullivan. He gave an exhibition. Alanna, whose deeper understanding “Stephen Bray wasn’t tackled for 60 challenge just yet. Dublin arephenom- Twelve points, big scores from 80-90 of everything Eoin is up against means yards for one of the goals. Things just enal, they have such talent, particu- metres. And his work-rate, his energy, she gets asked too many questions. went our way against Dublin who had larly in the forwards, and when you was so important to how Sars played.” And Conor and Orla, the brother and chances. After one of our goals, I think have that you’re always going to be Afterwards, commentator Colm sister. And everyone at the club. The (Paul) Flynn hit the post and it came able to win games.” O’Connor was sharing his admiration friends who can talk about it and the back out maybe 40 or 50 yards. If they The softly-spoken O’Brien laughs at for the Glanmire marksman. And some- ones who can’t. had got a goal it was possibly a different the suggestion he stirred the beast 10 body just mentioned, in passing, as if “Everyone helps in their own way, game. They won the All-Ireland the years ago. It’s not a victory he con- everybody knew: “Not bad for a fella according to their own personality.” the teachings of performance guru something tangible. You can do your counterpart, Soar, founded by former “So I had this terrible back pain and I sponse to his illness, it’s just his total “But if sport is opening up, I following year so they definitely took siders any more significant in the with cancer.” Then there’s his consultant Dr Derek Gary Keegan. And he began to hold one rehab, go to the gym, do your runs, tick Clare hurler Tony Griffin, with Karl took this medication and, two days dedication anyway. If you pass the wouldn’t think twice.” things on board. They learned to hold context of what was to follow. It’s not something O’Sullivan has Power and his clinical nurse specialist, line of Keegan’s very close. all the boxes. It’s tangible; it’s easy, in a Swan. later, the pain was gone. And it wasn’t a field, you’re 99% sure of seeing him in Sars mourns full-back O’Donoghue There has been more back pain, and their positions more, especially at half- “We don’t look it at like that. We love ever tried to hide. Of course they all Emma O’Riordan. ‘The obstacle is the way.’ way. “I just loved the messages they were painkiller. It literally deleted the dis- there, practising, practising. And it a scan in April confirmed a dread: An- back. The year they won it, Ger Bren- playing Dublin and the challenge of know locally. “It was probably the way I’d been “The harder part is the intangibles. giving. ease. It was amazing. has paid off: His ratio on the frees has Larry Ryan “We always looked up to him. He other lymph node. nan held the centre-back area whereas playing them because they were huge “I remember my first time talking to was a traditional defender, he was “But it’s not like you’d be introducing him. He emailed me information. I was living anyway, to a degree. But it made Your mindset and keeping on top of “Tony is one of the best men I’ve ever “It has other effects. Your white blood improved in recent years. It has been a sad week in the “On the front of the vertebrae, before he used to love going forward. occasions with the crowds and they yourself and saying it… it doesn’t really me think about it even more. that. It’s the same with hurling. If met. When you’re talking to him, you cells would be a bit lower. Your immune “We all know the knock-backs he teak tough. No messing. And the where the muscles attach on. Exten- Your full-back line doesn’t get exposed bring out the best in you. That’s what it worried. I had a lot of questions. I was Sarsfields club. Last weekend they square was no place for the come up. going to bed: Half 11, 12. I emailed him; “Instead of showing resistance to you’re going well, you can take your have 100% his attention. He’s so pres- system is affected. But nothing that has had. That day against Douglas, he buried the great full-back Tom sion exercises in the gym would be like that anymore. It’s not man-for-man was all about. It was just the challenge “I always kind of expected someone something, the way I interpreted it is, foot off the pedal. ‘What am I doing with ent. It’s really special. It’s a gift. made any difference to me. was just out of hospital a few days. fainthearted those days. very sore the day after. anymore. You can’t just win your 50-50 of it and hopefully what it would bring thought he’d see it in the morning. O’Donoghue. One of Jim ‘Tough’ “He played some great games for to ask me to talk about it. And I was At ten past 12, he emailed me back. whatever obstacle you have, whatever negative thoughts? Am I managing “It opened up my world outside of “I had a scan a couple of weeks later: What must have been on his mind? But Barry’s famous mushrooms from “For a month, I hardly slept. They battle and expect to win the game.” out of you because that would define always ready and willing. adversity, it’s all about how great can them’?” sports, to be a better person. To try to Everything was gone. Unbelievable. he can close things out and focus on Cork and was outstanding for Sars were looking at surgery again. But, Dublin had been fancied to reach a you.” “He’s world-renowned in melanoma ’66. And rooted on the edge of the in a lean period. “I think you’re better off being open and he’s unbelievably available and em- you be against that challenge.” Not long ago, he got a text from a find a profession I love and enjoy. “But the thing with these drugs, they the job in hand. He got them from all Cork square, they’ll all tell you that basically, if they remove it there’s a sixth straight Leinster final, but there about things like that. It does you no So, in 2017, when “something popped former manager, Conor Cusack, who’d “Only for them, I wouldn’t be doing are like antibiotics: They have a shelf angles when we needed them. He’s an “He was an unassuming guy, good chance my kidney could be taken was nothing hugely surprising about pathetic. A really good guy and I’m O’Donoghue took some picking. low-key, he did all his talking on the good hiding it. You need to talk about it. lucky to have him.” up again”, as he puts it, Eoin faced it taken his Imokilly group at U15 and physiotherapy now.” life. The max, normally, is five years, unreal young fella.” Club chairman Tadhg Murphy, the out. the result even if the number of goals It helps when people understand it and head on. U16. That’s what he always wanted to do. though there are people on it five years O’Sullivan was a quiet captain, but a pitch. “And I have a perfectly healthy kid- conceded were excessive. They needed Dr Power found a medical trial in former Cork dual star, was inspired “We had a big night in 2016 for the it helps to tell people about it too.” London. No disease was showing, but “I remember, I had a good bit of groin It read: ‘Cancer picked the wrong But the points were high and, anyway, and still going on. But you know there’s hugely popular one who led by by him. ney, so they couldn’t advise it. It would extra-time to see off Wexford in the Back, then, to the start. pain. I missed training, rehabbing what battle’. And Eoin sent one back, remind- he didn’t want to leave Cork. a timeline. It’ll stop working at some example. “He was very good with the anniversary in the club. All that Cork be hero surgery. game before and Meath had a bone to this was another layer of precaution. “My first year was Tom’s last team were there, and his own Sars “They give you a drug, see if it will I thought was a groin injury. But it was ing the sender of his part in building Training with Sars was the priority. stage. younger players coming into the year,” he said. “It was an era when “So I’ve done four sessions of radio- pick with them from the previous sea- OCTOBER 11, 2015: CORK SHC FINAL, a mass in under a muscle. what strength he had. But with all the physio he was get- “But I was flying. You take them panel. He shares a lot with them, his teammates as well. He really en- therapy in the Bons, at the new centre son. keep melanoma away. Blackrock and the Glen were domi- joyed that evening.” GLEN ROVERS 2-17, SARSFIELDS 1-13 “The caveat was it’s double blind. “They went in again, same scar, just “He changed me. The way I think and ting, it struck him that the people treat- every morning and every evening. It’s positive thinking. They take great in- nating but we’d be always giving our there. The consultant Paul Kelly is ex- Losing that Leinster opener in his “The Glen gave us a nice hammering made it a bit bigger. Took out more the way I’m able to deal with this, I’d at- ing him shared his calling. slightly inconvenient. You can’t eat an spiration from him.” Goodbyes are doubly difficult, of cellent. Championship debut was a real Every trial needs that. The patient best. And Tom was an inspirational course, at the moment. in Páirc Uí Rinn, doesn’t know if they are getting the lymph nodes. You’re basically just re- tribute back to him. The tools he gave “And I kind of felt, ‘if it’s something hour before and two hours after, but it’s So it meant more than a regular guy for us because he was our only “I’m on quite strong pain relief. You sickener for Seán Boylan’s former “It was around the quarter-final of habbing a scar, or the muscle that was us when we were 14. you want to do, why didn’t you do it?’ nothing, really, with something like league title that they won with him a “All we could do really was stand feel like you’re after a few pints. I was a selector O’Brien. treatment and the people giving it don’t man on the Cork team and that win across from the graveyard. Pay a the county that I had seen a mole on my know if you’re getting the real drug or broken through, to get back playing “He had us visualising before a final So, I went back to do a masters in anat- this. captain, beating the Barr’s in the final. in ’66 was very special in Cork. zombie for a few days. I wouldn’t have “We were very unlucky the previous foot, just a little black mole, nothing too again,” with our eyes closed. Things that were omy, because I had no science. And, “I started taking them a week or two quiet tribute. And the Cork 1966 been in a good place to talk last week. year. They beat us by two points. the placebo.” SEPTEMBER 21, 2019: CORK SHC When the cup came back to River- team were very strongly repre- serious. My mom was saying, ‘would By now, Sars manager Brian Roche way down the line. eventually, I got accepted into physio in before the league final and I was able to stown it was a huge night, after such But I’m back feeling good. I can eat, “There was a chap from Kilmacud By now he had finished a masters in QUARTER-FINAL, IMOKILLY 1-17, sented as well.” you get it checked out?’ education at UCC and was teaching in knew exactly where Eoin stood. In “For all the causes he’s helping now, UCC.” play. Now, I was shocking: I pulled a a long wait. I’m sleeping.” playing, Mark Davoren, and he did his “I said it to the doctor in the dressing Christians. The school freed his time- truth, he’d always known. If he was which are probably more important And now Declan O’Sullivan, his phy- hamstring. SARSFIELDS 0-10 He finished that radiotherapy yes- cruciate between the Nally Stand and room, ‘would you have a look at that?’ table to allow him to travel to London down in the field he was all in. He didn’t than anything to do with sport, his loss sio since he was 14, is his teacher too. “But it felt unbelievable. That consul- He played against Kanturk in the terday. the Hogan Stand. I can still see him. It And he said he’d have to take it off and on Wednesdays. need protecting. to hurling as a coach is immense. He tant — do they know the effect they are first round. Did well. Then something The mass has reduced, but they must have been 10 minutes before they put in a couple of stitches. So, I put it off “I just made it back for UCC. We were was the best.” SEPTEMBER 16, 2018: CORK SHC having on you? I was able to have that showed up again. for 30 days, six sessions, Monday to “So, Declan advised me about this won’t be able to judge success for six got him off the field. He never played A new routine formed: Train Tues- QUARTER-FINAL: SARSFIELDS 1-14, for six weeks, until after the final. I was day night; Cityjet Wednesday morning; down a good bit and I came on, maybe 20 winter, the whole next year, totally “It had always been on the left side. Friday, move into the hospital American company, who make this weeks. after that. (Referee) Martin Duffy innocent at the time. I was 24. fly home Wednesday evening; train minutes to go. And I had a big impact, I STARTING TO SOAR UCC 0-20 clear of anything. This time it was in the mid-line of my grounds. protective gear for baseball. Basically, He won’t let his mind wander up played two minutes of injury-time and “After losing the final, you’re not Thursday. was scoring and set up a few. That was The late Jim Stynes, the great Austra- “During that winter, I started getting “And then the manager asked me aorta. “But I started feeling queasy and it’s like that compression gear you that track. we had played awful in the first yourself for a couple of weeks. I put it on “I never gave myself the out to miss huge for me. It felt like I had got over lian Rules footballer, is another inspira- this terrible back pain would I feel comfortable captaining “Basically, all your intestines are in- sick. And I knew it wasn’t just anxiety. wear under your jersey, but there is a Not much. half and we were getting into the long finger again. And by that time, training. I didn’t think I had an excuse. I something. It was a tangible goal I’d tion. “I’m mad into NFL and NBA, so if I Sars. Did I have too much going on? Did side this sac, and there’s a layer that We played Blackrock in the league slot for the abdomen you can slide “This has definitely changed me, for our stride in the second and it was actually bleeding. So if I had a was feeling fine, so much so that we reached, “I watched the documentary Every woke at two in the morning, I’d get up I want it? And I did want it. And I had surrounds that, the peritoneum. It was final and I was feeling terrible, but I things into. the better in a lot of ways. Before, were completely on top. white sock on, there would be a dot of were thinking I’m getting the placebo, “Coming up to the matches, you’d be Heart Beats True. He was an unbeliev- and watch something. But I remember that full year, something you always behind that, behind the aorta, in this played. And then I asked for a scan, “So, you get this gel and put it in the you’d have a scan, and I’d be shitting it “He blew the whistle for blood. Looking back, it’s a bad sign. It not the treatment,” saying, ‘if I can play this match and do able man. He had melanoma and he the pain was so bad you literally dream of doing, captaining Sars.” space called the retro-peritoneum. It which I had never done before, but I slot and mould it around your body two weeks coming up. Get the scan, full-time when the ball means it’s ulcerated.” The only thing he’s ever asked of the well, whatever happens after, if I don’t started at stage four. I started with couldn’t focus on the game.” We dwell, for a moment, on that old just made the surgery bigger. It’s quite knew something was up.” and within 30 minutes it’s rock-solid. I’ve to wait a week, then worry, worry; was in the air and I can The doctor took the mole off on club is that they treat him like any other play again, fuck it’. stage two or three and I’m at stage four More scans showed there was some- Gordian knot, club versus county. invasive.” The scan showed something in the A tailor altered it for me to protect thinking, thinking, thinking. Now, I still see Peadar Byrne Tuesday and Eoin took the call the next player. The only thing he doesn’t want “But it’s not a healthy thing to be now.. thing left over and it wasn’t removable Eoin’s brother Conor was playing for Another six-inch scar. adrenal glands. So radiotherapy was exactly where my stitches were. walk in, get the scan, walk out, and I running down the field Monday. Come in. is minding. thinking. You end up wanting more all “He said in the doc’, and I couldn’t by surgery. “I missed the semi-final of Cork, but deep down did he really want Alanna had almost come to enjoy cancelled and he’d need more surgery, “The last advice I got was maybe not wouldn’t think about it until the day kicking a long ball “Signs of melanoma.” That first year, he did wonder, once the time. understand it, that he needed mel- the league against the Barr’s. I was too Cork to keep winning? When he was those first few minutes when he’d after the Douglas game. to play, that the wound was a bit deep. I’m finding out. down on Joe Sheridan In his instinctive reaction to stark or twice, if he’d made a mistake being so “We drew and won the replay. I re- anoma to happen to him. His life was sore; couldn’t play. I couldn’t do any- this healthy, time was so precious. A wake up from surgery; the nonsense Nail those frees Saturday evening, I’d never gone against advice before. “Any book you read about mindset, and the whistle blow- words, perhaps there were clues about open about his illness. member Brian Roche was so happy for gone in a way that he needed it. I’d thing, really. club game put back a month is torture. out of him when he was still under the into the Mercy Tuesday. But I had my mind made up at that it is all about being in the moment. ing. The ball actually the depth of fortitude he would event- “There was one fella, not the man- me. He came up to hug me after and he never say I needed it but I understand it “The consultant had a new drug he “It was selfish. When you’re younger, influence. She’d always remind him of “A new guy, Criostóir Ó Súilleab- stage. And not worrying about the future. hopped over the bar. ually show. ager, who said it to me, that we thought split his head on my helmet, he was so now, in that it’s definitely changed me, offered me. Many people with mel- you’re so passionate about Cork. But if it later. háin. He was excellent. A normal guy; “I knew I was pushing the boat out. “I definitely do worry about things. I “Even though they “It was pure innocence, naivety, you were a good bit weaker because of excited. changed my mindset.” anoma have the BRAF gene. And there Cork are winning, it could delay your “There was no craic after this one. no airs or graces. He said the aim was But it was Imokilly. We knew it was do worried about that back pain. I’d look missed an awful lot in the maybe pure stupidity. I remember the treatment. That pissed me off, be- “My mom and dad would have seen The Reach Foundation Stynes helped are drug options to target that gene. It’s whole season. A lot of club players don’t The pain was so intense. to do keyhole and a good recovery. But or die. I said I’d chance it.” at that as not being good enough, first half and really should have thinking, ‘this is a challenge. I’ll knock cause I was not missing training, I was me have enough disappointments. So build is dedicated to inspiring young immunotherapy. An immunosuppress- really care about Cork now, besides “On the physio course, I had a class there was a chance he’d have to do a First, he needed to play a training thinking like that. been out of sight, we were still this out of the park straight away. It’ll keeping an eye on everything I was moments like that were great for me, people to believe in themselves and get ant. It targets the gene that makes mel- your friends playing and your family. and the guy mentioned retro-perito- big cut and he wouldn’t know until he match. “You need to be better; you’re not with them. Had the game gone come and go.’ doing in the gym, my numbers were up. but great for them as well. the most out of life. anoma spread and causes it to stop the And it’s a pity.” neal surgery and he said the outcomes tried.” “Fellas were being careful of me. being fair to yourself thinking like on another four or five min- “To be fair, I didn’t know the serious- “When you hear that, you’re think- “What sport offers you is massive. It’s Eoin was drawn to it, and its Irish spread. He talked with the sports psychol- aren’t good for recovery. He wouldn’t Three keyhole incisions and one But at one stage the ball broke and that, or being fair to people around utes, we would have possibly ness, what it would entail. I didn’t ing, ‘maybe it’s not something I need to ogist Caroline Currid, whom he knew have known about me. medium-sized cut did it. Daniel Kearney gave me a belt of a you.” caught them. It’s amazing the understand the disease. The word be saying, because people are making from his UCC freshers team. “She “But I was probably back playing in Now for Imokilly, 18 days later. shoulder and he apologised straight The illness has made him less self- gap has opened so much since cancer — I knew there were people inferences’.” helped me with those feelings and made two months. I was lucky. I had a base- “The surgeon met me in the corridor after. But it was great to be able to take ish, he hopes, more interested in other those games.” beating it every day. He was in London, getting treatment, your process of thinking better. You line. You’re healthy and fit. And be- the day after. And he’s a big man. it. people. He gets my life story before I sit Leinster, O’Brien knows, “My girlfriend Alanna is a doctor so the Wednesday before they lost in the wouldn’t allow yourself to get away fore, with the surgeries, you’d be nice Six foot something. I remember, he “I came on against Imokilly when back in the car. has become a forgettable she was clued in. She saw the serious- championship. “We had a disaster with thinking like that. to yourself. I’d eat a bit of crap food. By slapped me down on the shoulder as the game was half-over. I didn’t do He’s grateful for so much. He knows competition where Dublin ness of it.” against Midleton.” “In the end, we lost to UCC in a that stage, I had such a focus on hard as he could and said, ‘how are anything. I scored a free. But I felt it’s a luxury that he can stay in college, have needed little or no- So began his first hospital stay, as the He doesn’t mention he scored the quarter-final, but there was no problem coming back, I wouldn’t even eat hos- you feeling?’ And you’d be half-shock- perfect playing. change career, that his parents look thing to go their way. medics started on the puzzle. goal. And then, a few weeks later, Lon- for the whole year.” pital food. My mother would be bring- ed, but delighted, because it was him “And I was delighted I did, because I after him. Beyond it, they have oc- “For this exact bit of affected skin, don rang. He scored six points that day. ing in the best of food, trying to get saying, ‘you’re not fragile’. was able to be in and around it, taking He made it to the States with Alanna casionally been fortunate, he there’s one lymph node in your groin “I’d get a scan every fourth time I high protein, trying to get recovery for “Recovery was slow. After a week, I shoulders. And it was something to be before Christmas. Two Lakers games; argues. that’s mainly responsible for draining DECEMBER 17, 2018: CORK SENIOR the tissue. came down to watch training, two proud of.” Saw LeBron twice; Vegas, San Fran’, “It is very worrying when went over and something showed up. LEAGUE FINAL: SARSFIELDS 0-15, ST it. So, they inject that part of your skin “They could tell me then that I was on “I got back playing league games. weeks out from championship. I New York. And it was magic. one team dominates, it’s and follow it up into the lymph node re- the drug, because that would impact my FINBARR’S 1-10 But you do have it in your head that it walked a few hundred yards and I was STAYING IN THE MOMENT He loved The Last Dance, is stuck in not good for the game, but sponsible. And they took it out, with future treatment choices. Which was This is Eoin’s story. But it is import- could be your last game at any stage.” exhausted and sore. Of course he’ll hurl this year, if a million discussions about it. you can’t blame Dublin for two others. good and bad, because it meant that ant too, to Sarsfields, that Eoin knows Because there was more disappoint- “By the Tuesday, I was trying to there are matches. But Jordan’s leadership style that. It’s up to other coun- “If that main node has something drug wasn’t an option. But they had to how much he means to them, how much ment. It still wasn’t gone. puck a few balls, pulling with the arms “I was training away mad up to the wouldn’t be his. There’s a selfishness ties to catch up. Having positive in it, it’s a bad sign. Then, release me from the trial. he inspires them. “I’m too far down the line to be pro- rather than the abdomen. And I had shutdown. We did a 50km challenge, he can’t take to now. they’ll have to take out all the lymph “So, I went back in for surgery in the Club chairman, stalwart, Tadhg tected now. My consultant never small, tiny improvements in what I with Sars in April. He thinks he’s become a better nodes there. CUH, to take out much deeper lymph Murphy was managing the intermedi- wants to tell me over the phone if could do. I talked to the physio, “Before everything closed down, I hurler every year, despite everything. “The results take about a month. I ac- ates that first year, when Eoin was, in there’s anything bad, but I don’t care Declan. And I was delighted when he went down to the Sars gym and we all “That Douglas game was probably one Former Meath boss nodes.”Another wound. More staples. Eamonn O’Brien, the last tually went skiing three weeks later. I “But that was fine.” his words, easing back. now. I don’t need to sit down to hear it said, ‘if you want to play, you’d want to took a barbell and some weights.” of my best performances.” couldn’t walk, but I was able to ski. And “We were beaten by Kildorrery in the either. I’m kind of used to it. Basically, be running in a couple of days’. “If the GAA opened it up and they He is back meditating again. manager to engineer a at the end of December, they said it SEPTEMBER 4, 2017: CORK SHC championship. And he played with the he said you need to go and get this “Maybe a week and a half out, I was were happy for hurling to go ahead, And as we sit here, on a beautiful win over Dublin in the showed up in the three nodes. QUARTER-FINAL: UCC 0-18, same intensity and determination as if special type of radiotherapy. able to hit a free from the opposite 60. I that would be enough for me. day, looking out on the Sars training Leinster Championship, “So, I was back at the start of Janu- SARSFIELDS 1-15 it was an All-Ireland final. Whenever he “I’d had 30 rounds of radiotherapy was really improving. “You can only mind yourself so pitches, there is social distance be- all of 10 years ago. ary, and they took out all the lymph “But that was fine.” BURSTING FORWARD: Eoin O’Sullivan in full flow for Sarsfields. Illness has not diminished O’Sullivan’s commitment to hurling: ‘A game is puts on the jersey, he just drives on. before, when I had the back pain. But “I was doing a lot of stretches, trying much. But I’m being responsible. I’m tween us, but you know he is totally Picture: nodes in my leg. That’s why my left leg Along the way, Eoin started to study “It’s unreal, his commitment and his this was called stereotactic. It’s new; to stretch the scar. The pain was in- basically just following the govern- here, in the moment. isn’t as efficient at draining up fluid as still the biggest thing in the world to me,’ he says. Picture: Eoin Noonan/Sportsfile determination. Even outside of the re- hi-tech. I would have to go to Dublin tense enough. ment guidelines. He has that gift too. Paul Mohan/Sportsfile