Croke Park a big deal for ‘ordinary joiner’ Quinn

A DREAM appearance at Croke Park is now the reality beckoning several members of the Errigal Ciaran team whose club careers are reaching a glorious pinnacle with this weekend’s All-Ireland Club final clash with Cuala.

It’s easy to think of the Canavan brothers, Aidan McCrory, Peter Harte and others who have graced the top venue with Tyrone at minor and senior levels over more than a decade of action. But there’s another group looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on Sunday.

Among them is corner-back Ciaran Quinn. His no-nonsense approach to defending has been a feature for the Dunmoyle-based side in recent years. Like many, he has lived in the hope of playing at headquarters from his boyhood games in the back garden to the quest for success at senior level with his club.

On Sunday, that dream will become a reality. But there’s also the small matter of the bid for glory. Winning the Andy Merrigan Cup is now the major and only focus for Enda McGinley and Steve Quinn and their team which has made its mark already with success in the O’Neill and Seamus McFerran Cups and then last weekend’s big win over Dr Crokes.

“It’s very emotional to think how we’ve won our way through to the All-Ireland final, especially after the extra-time against Dr Crokes. There’s a sense of belief in this squad, and getting to this stage has been a real hard slog,” Ciaran Quinn said.

“I’ve never played in Croke Park before. To get this chance was the ultimate goal for me.

“There’s players on this team who mightn’t pass much odds on playing there. But for a boy like myself, just an ordinary joiner from the countryside, to get to Croke Park, getting to the Holy Grail is a big deal. I’ll be looking forward to it because it’s the ultimate goal.

“To get to this level at Croke Park and play for the biggest cup for a club player is amazing. That’s what I’m looking forward to.

“Our run to the All-Ireland final I think shows youngsters and indeed the whole club what can be achieved through hard work. That’s very important for us as a panel and a club, to give inspiration to the next generations coming through.”

Last week, as the big freeze hit Tyrone, dozens of Errigal Ciaran members travelled to Cardinal McRory Park. Their task was to clear the field of the snow and ice in preparation of a training session in preparation for the Dr Crokes game.

Any club would do the same in similar circumstances, and such dedication and commitment indicates the sense of pride that there is in Errigal’s run to become the very first time from Tyrone to reach the All-Ireland Club final.

For Ciaran Quinn and the rest of the players, this is about reflecting that pride with the required determination, skill and tactical awareness which will be needed to see them overcome the Dublin and Leinster champions.

Each of their matches have gone right to the wire, from the first round of the Ulster Club against St Eunan’s to their three-point win over their Kerry opponents.

“We’ve gone to the well so many times and been tested and tested. You can’t beat that, and we were definitely tested against Dr Crokes. We knew that it would take a massive effort to beat them, but we’re just glad to have got over the line,” he added.

“They’ve been there and done it before and we knew that it was time to take things to the next level. There’s improvements needed, but the aftermath of that win was for enjoying and realising what we’ve achieved for the club and parish.

“To get to this stage and what it means to everyone in the community makes you really appreciate days like last Saturday and Sunday coming. Games like this give people in the community a massive lift, what with the buses going to the matches and the support which we’ve got here.”

Now, the task for Quinn and the rest of the Errigal team is to make sure that the Andy Merrigan Cup is coming north on Sunday rather than making the trip to west Dublin and the home of Cuala GAA.