Tipperary minor captain Cathal O’Reilly says he’s very grateful to Uachtaráin Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns for allowing him to make a speech after the recent Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor hurling final.
Speeches had been done away with at minor level but Burns told O’Reilly after the classic encounter that he was allowed to say a few words if he wished.
O’Reilly prepared a speech that week with the help of his mother Bridget and, after Tipperary’s improbable triumph, it captured the moment perfectly.
“This moment is a testament to the hard work and dedication and perseverance of a fantastic group of lads,” he said when accepting the Irish Press Cup.
“These lads have embodied the true spirit of Tipperary.”
The speech added to the magic of the night for Tipperary who had shown tremendous spirit to win after being reduced to thirteen men in the first half.
Nach iontach an rud é go thug Uachtarán an @officialgaa deis do chaptaen @TipperaryGAA Cathal O’Reilly óráid don scoth a thabhairt tar éis an bua iontach a bhí acu inné. Ba cheart go mbeimis ag tacú leis na daoine óga seo bláthú in áit cosc a chuir ortha. pic.twitter.com/GgkfaMIsyS
— Maidhcí (@maidhci) June 30, 2024
Their victory has since been described as one of their greatest ever as the team overcame obstacle after obstacle, defeating Kilkenny after extra-time in their home ground.
Having endured a disappointing year following their senior team, the Tipperary support were crying out for success and the minors delievered.
After the game, the joy was clear in the Tipperary ranks with players and supporters alike waiting on the field, savouring the moment until long into the night.
The team then had a homecoming in the club of team captain O’Reilly, who says he will never forget the last few weeks.
“It was great to bring the cup back home,” says the Holycross Ballycahill man.
“That was the first time that there’s been a winning captain from Holycross so it was a special moment for me.”
O’Reilly says despite losing two players in the first half, he always believed they would win the game. He says their management led by James Woodlock had instilled a never-say-die attitude in the team.
“I remember when Cillian got sent off. I was thinking right ‘we’re going to have to work harder now.’ Then Darragh got sent off, but I never thought we were going to lose it. I always felt like we were in the driving seat and we could win the game.”
“The lads had us ready for any scenario. They told us to just stay going.
“I nearly stopped thinking about the fact we only had thirteen men, it didn’t feel like it because everyone was working so hard. We just knew we had to keep the ball away from their sweeper, and work it out the field, and that was our plan.”
O’Reilly says the Tipperary support helped them over the line and recalls how some young fans eased the pressure on the team going into extra-time.
“Even just before extra-time, I remember some young kids ran over to us all looking for the high fives. That was funny like, and it almost brought you back to normality as well thinking you used to do that yourself when Tipperary were playing.”
He says signing autographs for the young supporters after the game was also a surreal experience as it wasn’t too long ago that he was in their shoes.
“There were so many fans on the pitch coming up, some of the younger people coming up for autographs and even the older generation, they were so delighted as well.”
One of his stand-out memories is arm-in-arm with his team-mates, singing Slievenamon on the pitch.
“After the game we started singing Slievenamon on the pitch. There was people taking photos of us and we were singing Slievenamon. It was very very special.”
Then it was time for the speech.
“I was up in the stands when I was going up to get the cup. And Jarlath was saying to someone if he wants to talk he can talk.
“That was very sound of him and I really appreciated that because I had the speech ready just in case.
“I got a bit of help from mam. She’s good at that stuff. So we did it together during the week building up. We were well prepared. So it all worked out.”
O’Reilly says he has always dreamed of playing and winning All-Irelands for Tipp.
“It’s all you dreamed of as a young lad. Playing for Tipp, out in the garden pretending you’re Seamie Callanan or Bubbles or someone. You would never think it would happen, to do it is special.”
It’s fair to say that over the last two weeks, he and his team-mates have lived the dream.
