'Putting smiles on their faces is a privilege' said Keith Ryan on Upperchurch's Croke Park journey

When Upperchurch Drombane run out in Croke Park on Saturday evening, they will do so carrying the hopes of a parish that has been completely swept up in an unforgettable journey in the last six months.

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Standing between them and All-Ireland glory are Mayo champions Tooreen, as the sides meet in the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Final.

For captain Keith Ryan, the scale of what this run has meant to Upperchurch and Drombane is impossible to miss. “It’s been unbelievable,” he said. 

“When you look back to the end of July when we started the Tipp championship and see where we are now, the journey we’re on has been incredible. You can see the savage support we’re getting from everyone in Upperchurch, and the drum band following us as well.”

What has struck Ryan most is the impact the team has had on the younger generation in the parish. 

“You see young lads there, five or six years of age, going to matches in full Upperchurch kit on a match day,” he explains. “Putting smiles on their faces is a privilege for us. If we’re inspiring the future generation coming after us, that’s something we’re really proud of.”

That sense of community has been evident well beyond match days, with the club enjoying huge backing off the field too. “I’d expect it from a place like Upperchurch,” Ryan says. 

“Everyone kind of rows in behind each other whenever anything’s going on. If there are fundraisers or anything that needs to be done below in the hurling field, there are always numerous people showing up to give a hand.”

The significance of the current success is heightened by the setbacks of recent seasons. Relegation was a crushing blow at the time, and Ryan admits there was no immediate silver lining.

“When we got relegated, we didn’t see it that way at all,” he says. “We were hugely devastated. To go back down to Premier Intermediate, the competitiveness of that championship is colossal, and we found that out straight away.”

A narrow semi-final defeat to Cashel King Cormacs only added to the disappointment, but Ryan believes those hard lessons have shaped the current group. 

“We tried to win it and fell short, but thankfully this year we went back again and second time of asking we got up.

“Our main goal at the start of the year was to get back up to senior hurling where we think we belong, and we’re hugely grateful that we achieved that.”

Resilience has been a defining feature of Upperchurch Drombane’s season, forged in moments when their campaign could easily have ended. 

“That Ballina game really stood to us,” Ryan reflected. 

“We were seconds away from getting knocked out. To be able to get out of Kilcommon that day was massive for us. It was a real turning point, and we kind of just pushed on from there.”

He is keen to stress that the team’s ability to overcome challenges has been a collective effort. 

“I don’t think you can put it down to just one thing. It’s the group as a whole. Players, management, and everyone can take credit for it. We’ve had some tough games, but we’ve pulled out the right side of them.”

Ryan also points to the influence of the management team, noting that while much of what was done this year built on previous seasons, there were subtle differences. 

“We probably trained a bit harder early in the year, in February and March, and it wasn’t too enjoyable at the time,” he admitted. 

“But they’ve given us serious exposure, freedom of hurling, and everything tactically is down to a tee. That confidence to go out, express yourself and enjoy the game has been huge for us.”

There is a bittersweet note to the build-up, with Paudie Greene ruled out through injury. Ryan speaks with real emotion about his influence. “Paddy has been absolutely incredible for Upperchurch for the last 10 or 15 years,” he says. 

“He’s won numerous games for us on his own. He was probably having one of the best games of his life before he got injured, and it’s hugely disappointing for him to miss out on playing in Croke Park. You just feel for him.”

Despite that setback, Greene remains central to the group. “He’s still very much involved and has a massive influence on us,” Ryan added. 

“He’s such a leader and someone I’ve looked up to since I was young. Getting the chance to play with him has been a huge privilege.”

As the final approaches, Ryan is conscious of how special the past few months have been, particularly after some difficult days in the club’s recent history. “We’ve had some very bad days in Upperchurch,” he said. 

“That’s why this run we’re on at the minute is unreal. You never really want it to end. The buzz around training, going down to the field three nights a week, it’s just been incredible.”

He knows the journey will conclude one way or another on Saturday evening in Croke Park. “I know it’s going to end somehow,” Ryan says, “but it’s been an unbelievable experience. Now we just want to push on one bit more and see how far we can take it.”

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