COLUMN: 'Greatest of days for a mighty club and village with bright futures'

*This column will be in this week's Nationalist and Tipperary Star - out on Wednesday

When you leave your home village and club, it always stays a part of you, that’s been my experience anyway.

Boherlahan is where I went to school.

I worked in the local shop and was an altar server in the local church where my parents were sacristans for many years.

I haven’t lived in the village for over a decade and it’s been even longer since I played hurling for the club. No matter how many years pass, I still love the place and return home frequently.

I have followed the Boherlahan Intermediate hurling team all year, from going to league matches down in Moyle Rovers all the way to last Sunday in FBD Semple Stadium when they took on Golden/Kilfeacle in the County Intermediate Final.

It was a strange match with no real flow to it, which probably suited Golden and the nine-point victory for Boherlahan doesn’t really reflect how tense the match was for long periods.

Jack Leamy, who finished with a remarkable tally of fourteen points - with eleven of those from frees and one from a sideline cut - kept Golden in the game with a legendary individual display.

Considering the final score of Boherlahan/Dualla 3-15 to Golden/Kilfeacle’s 0-15, it was some going by the young player. If you mention Jack though, you have to mention Tossy Ryan from Boherlahan who was awarded man of the match.

The pacey hurler finished with 1-11 for his club with eight points from frees and the goal which he scored from a penalty. What a masterclass by the centre forward on the big stage.

It was poetic that we won the final, considering the Jubilee team being celebrated on Sunday was the 1996 Senior winners Boherlahan/Dualla with many of them - including my own brother Jason Hassett - in the stand in their suits waiting to be paraded.

Sunday’s win was destiny for this team who went through the season unbeaten.

I will admit it was a strange feeling experiencing the celebrations on Tom Semple’s field over the weekend.

Running onto the pitch I was only running to one person - my nephew Dylan Fogarty who was wing-back for Boherlahan.

We embraced and hugged and cried a little again on the field, second time in less than a year, the last time being when Cashel Community School won the Harty Cup Final.

For me, I felt on the periphery, as though I didn’t deserve to celebrate.

I’ve given nothing to the club in a long time, it’s the people who have been in the trenches at Junior level, at Intermediate level, at underage level, the coaches, the players and the managers and club volunteers, they deserved this victory more than anyone!

You see the people who have soldiered with Boherlahan/Dualla for so long, giving thousands of hours volunteering or to the running of the club.

Lar Devane is a constant in Boherlahan, what a servant he is to the community.

Willie Hickey, the current manager of the Intermediates, was also part of the 1996 winning team.

Willie had to run back into the dressing room after the Intermediate Final to change into his suit to be honoured as part of the Jubilee celebrations - what a clubman he is for Boherlahan.

The hurlers as well like Seamie Leahy, Fionn MacCullagh, the great Darragh Hickey, all of whom are still somehow managing to play and perform at such a high level and you just have to stand back in amazement at how much these lads have done for their club and their parish and their unwavering devotion to the place.

The great Conor Gleeson was also part of the 1996 winning team and was in the stands on Sunday.

Conor, who was a neighbour growing up, resigned from his coaching role with Golden as soon as the final fixture was confirmed.

Why did he do that? Out of loyalty! Conor revealed: “I said to them (Golden) before I came on board that if they face Boherlahan/Dualla, I’d step aside.

“My mother (Pauline) wouldn’t have slept a wink if I didn’t. With a County Final, there would be extra attention too and I just wouldn’t have been able to do the lads justice preparing them...I just couldn’t put myself in that situation. Could you have imagined me waving to the crowd and then going back to the sideline to face my club? I’d have been lynched.”

That’s club loyalty but what else would you expect from the hurling legend.

As soon as the Senior County Final ended in a draw, I was sitting at home in Boherlahan with my father in the sitting room and I said, that’s it so, Boherlahan is going on the front of both papers.

Being able to make that decision means so much to me, and I suppose it’s my way of giving something back to Boherlahan.

A player that deserves special mention is captain Seamie Leahy - whom I went to school with many years ago.

During his brilliant speech before lifting the Michael Maher Cup, I couldn’t help but think how proud his late father, Seamus, who was a devout Boherlahan clubman but sadly passed away last year, and his late mother, the wonderful Margaret, who passed away in 2020, would be.

Seamie’s performance on the day was inspired, a true captain, with two points from play and he did his parents and his family proud.

Sunday was a very special day for the village and for all of whom, at one stage or another, have called it home.

The place is blessed with people devoted to the parish and the scenes on the field after the win showed just how much people love the place and this team.

Stephen Gleeson interviewed my nephew Dylan after the match and the video is up on tipperarylive.ie.

Dylan is 18-years-old and has played in and won a County Intermediate Final. His words after the battle against Golden are remarkable.

He said: “We’re not a Junior A club or Intermediate club, we’re a Senior club, we’re going the whole way up.”

That’s the ambition of this great GAA club and Dylan and many others who took to the field at the weekend will play a huge part in its future.

Sunday was the greatest of days for a mighty GAA club and village with bright futures.

Up the Sash!

Pictured above: Ellie Hassett (my niece), Josephine Hassett (my mother), Dylan Fogarty (my nephew), Jason Hassett (my brother), Leo Hassett (my brother), me, Jack Hassett (my son), Jorja Fogarty (my niece), Jacqueline Fogarty (my sister) and for some reason Joan O’Dwyer (Martin Paul 0’Dwyer’s mother).