A special place

“How many county’s fans would love the opportunity to be sitting among the hordes of Tyrone and Kerry supporters in one of the world’s best stadiums?”


Speaker's Corner
Michael Duffy

THERE is no doubt that there is something special about Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day. After a summer to forget about weatherwise, the sun finally came out on Sunday morning and allowed supporters of Mayo, Tyrone and Kerry trundle down Jones Road and thoroughly enjoy one of the true highlights of the Irish sporting calendar.
The weather was the icing on the cake on a day to remember. We have seen that conditions are not a prerequisite for playing quality football as Galway and Kerry produced a barnstorming game in monsoon type conditions back in August. But when creating an electrical atmosphere like that present at 3.29pm last Sunday, it sure is a help when everyone is basking in sunshine and full of unbridled anticipation.
The couple of thousand Mayo supporters among the 82,204 at Croke Park on Sunday were in the unusual, but very privileged situation of being the only neutrals (apart from the ardent scribes of the press box) in the stadium. I, for one, could not decide who to cheer and so just sat back and applauded the brilliance of both sides throughout an enthralling 70 minutes.
Part of me wanted to shout for Kerry, simply because I was surrounded by Tyrone supporters and I do enjoy the ‘banter’ among rival supporters at any GAA game. But part of me also wanted to see Sam Maguire go anywhere else but the Kingdom so once that final whistle went it was easy to stand up and applaud a truly great achievement by Mickey Harte and his rejuvenated troops.
Of course, we don’t need to be reminded that it is now 57 years and counting since Sam paid us a visit in Mayo but once again hope will spring eternal for 2009. We of course only lost to the 2008 All-Ireland champions by a single point in a qualifier we easily could have won.
That may be a bit of a simplistic view to take, as Tyrone have certainly found a few more gears since the Mayo game, but the record books will show our defeat by the minimum of margins.
John O’Mahony has enjoyed a tough second stint in charge of Mayo - and next year’s performances will probably determine his future - but he must surely be optimistic about the future of football in the county thanks to the performances of our minors in 2008.
Having stumbled their way through Connacht with disjointed displays against Sligo and Roscommon, Ray Dempsey’s teenagers showed bundles of guts and determination to edge past Monaghan at Pearse Park in Longford.
But even the most optimistic of supporters could not have envisaged a scenario where we would be returning to the same venue on the last Saturday in September for an All-Ireland Final replay.
Like Tyrone seniors, this Mayo team performances in the latter stages have been unrecognisable when compared to their early form and once again last Sunday they gladdened our hearts with an attacking display which impressed even the always pragmatic Kerry followers.
Pearse Park is the best venue that could have been chosen for the replay. The atmosphere at the Monaghan game was electric and with Mayo and Tyrone likely to travel in their thousands there should be a similar atmosphere on Saturday afternoon. 
But it is a real pity that Shane Nally will not get the opportunity to lift the cup at Croke Park should we win the replay. For long spells on Sunday it looked as if our barren spell at headquarters was coming to a glorious end but once again it wasn’t to be.
However, all of us Mayo supporters should be thankful of being a part of another great sporting occasion. How many county’s fans would love the opportunity to be sitting among the hordes of Tyrone and Kerry supporters in one of the world’s best stadiums?
And although we have experienced more than our fair share of heartbreak, it must be remembered that we have been represented in Croke Park on eight of the last twelve All- Ireland Football Final days. And with players of the calibre of Aiden O’Shea and Cathal Freeman hopefully at our disposal in the years ahead, whose to say we won’t be back during the next decade.