A stormy afternoon for Brian Boru.
By Paul Schneider
OK, so there was a little bit of rain. OK, make that a LOT of rain. But for the Shamrocks and Brian Boru hurlers, that just didn’t seem to be enough reason to postpone last Sunday’s Joe Lyons Cup final.
One after another, Shamrocks coach and goalkeeper Eamonn Lyons dripped the reasons why: “There was no lightning,” he said. “The field was in good condition.” And finally, “We’ve all played in worse conditions at home.”
This was Sunday afternoon, some time after the Shamrocks broke a 4-4 deadlock midway through the first half to romp to a 2-11 to 0-4 victory, and minutes after Philadelphia GAA chairman Eamonn Tohill had awarded them the Joe Lyons Cup.
On a day that seemed to favor slower, heavier teams, it was the fleet of foot who came through. Bobby Rea, a whippet on the front line, alternately was picking himself up off the turf or scoring points. He finished with the Shamrocks’ two goals and placed another four through the uprights.
Frank O’Meara added another three for the winners, who also got strong midfield play from Benny Landers, whom Lyons dubbed the day’s MVP. Lyons himself provided key goalkeeping, particularly in the critical early going.
When Landers, netminder on last year’s Shamrock squad, opted to play in the field this season, Lyons stepped in to fill the nets on a temporary basis. “I kept waiting for someone to take the position, but nobody wanted to, so I stayed,” he said.
Next stop for the Shamrocks are the North American GAA Championships in Chicago over Labor Day weekend. With any luck, maybe there’ll be a little rain?
