As he walked to the 17th tee in the final round of the Irish Open at Mount Juliet, Shane Lowry thought Offaly had won their first All-Ireland minor hurling title since 1989.
The reality was different. Tipperary had won the game in dramatic fashion, with Paddy McCormack's last gasp goal giving them a one-point victory.
It was a game Offaly had dominated for much of the 65 or so minutes played. They led by six in the 54th minute, and had a player advantage due to Tipp's Damien Corbett being sent off.
"I was told going to the 17th tee that we'd won," Lowry, a major financial supporter of Offaly GAA, told RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport.
"Then I stood on the 17th tee, and saw my brother, and he gave me the thumbs down. A goal in the last minute. It's devastating for those young lads. That's sport, isn't it. I've been on the wrong side of a lot of results.
"I had my Offaly jersey in the bag. I was tempted to put it on walking down 18 if they'd won. If you take the positives from it, you'll be OK. Obviously, it's going to be a hard few days for them. I'm gutted for them, gutted for Michael Duignan, gutted for everyone behind the scenes. I know everyone was really excited about this; I was too."
3 July 2022; Shane Lowry of Ireland plays a shot from the bunker on the ninth green during day four of the Horizon Irish Open Golf Championship at Mount Juliet Golf Club in Thomastown, Kilkenny. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Lowry finished tied for ninth at the Irish Open, eight shots behind winner Adrian Meronk of Poland.
Shane Lowry: 'I put a bit too much pressure on myself'
"I struggled the first couple of days," said Lowry.
"I definitely need to figure out a way, going forward, how to handle myself better on a week like this. That's up to me. I'm getting better at it. If I want to win another Irish Open, I'm going to have to be better from the start of the week.
"I just want so much to do well in this tournament, want so much to win this tournament. I'd give anything to be going down the stretch now with a chance to win the tournament. Imagine standing on that 18th green with a putt to win the Irish Open in front of that crowd. It would be dream stuff. That's probably why I put a bit too much pressure on myself at the start of the week."
Picture credits: Sportsfile
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