Maurice Grehan is the host. Patricia Monahan was talking about young players.
Her words of wisdom should be pinned up in every dressing-room in the land.
She was discussing those who receive the county call for the first time.
The thrill of pulling on the county jersey for the first time. The pride of representing your county.
“Take the Dublin Under-14s. It’s a big achievement to be selected for Dublin,” stated Patricia.
“It’s the first step on a player’s inter-county journey. But they are still children.
“This level is all about honing your skills, learning from playing against different opponents, and, most importantly of all, it’s about enjoyment.
“The bus journeys up and down the country. The fun. The friendship. The whole experience.”
With such words finding a place in the kit bags, the Dublin 14s are sure to have a ball.
And, maybe in time, they’ll progress to play the game like the Dublin seniors, or indeed Kilmacud Crokes, the Dublin and Leinster champions.
St Sylvester’s gave them quite the jolt in the county final, but as Patrica declared: “Crokes didn’t panic. They just got on with it.”
A sure sign of a side with belief deep in their bones.
Kilmacud are now back in the AIB Leinster Senior Championship final. They play Eadestown of Kildare this Sunday (November 10) at O’Connor Park, Tullamore (1.0).
In the opening round last month in Stillorgan, Crokes finished with a spurt against Naomh Ciarán of Offaly.
In the semi-final at Longford Slashers, the Dubliners were in a hurry, building up a substantial lead before half-time.
Last November, they defeated Ciarán’s in the final at Kinnegad. The Leinster trophy honours the memory of Bill Daly.
Bill played with Cavan. He was among those who laid the foundation for the game in the city.
Ballyboden St Enda’s became the standard bearers, winning a remarkable record nine Dublin Senior Championship titles in succession.
His work duties involved being the Garda driver for John Wilson, twice an All-Ireland winner with Cavan.
John’s favourite part of the day was when he stepped into the Ministerial Merc and Bill was at the wheel. The long miles throughout the country just vanished under a carpet of football talk.
Crokes are seeking their third Leinster title on the spin. Emer Sweeney is the captain.
Her father, John, helped Crokes win the 1995 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship, as did other members of the Crokes crew, Peter Ward and manager Paddy O’Donoghue.
On that St Patrick’s Day, Crokes beat Bellaghy of Derry. There was a blizzard in Croke Park.
Kilmacud were 0-8 to 0-1 ahead approaching the final bend. Bellaghy upped their performance.
They brought it back to 0-8 to 0-5. Bellaghy were awarded a penalty in the last minute.
Mick Pender made the save of the century. A save that will forever be cemented in the turf of Páirc de Búrca.
Emer works as a teacher. Her most memorable moment came when Crokes overcame Thomas Davis to secure the Michael Murphy Memorial Cup for the first time in 2022.
“We had so many tough years before that,” she reflected. “Losing out at the group stage or in the semi-final or the final itself.
She’d like to meet Johnny Sexton. She’d be pleased to see his book, Obsessed, race up the charts.
Emer plays in the full-back position. Her favourite footballer, Michelle Davoren, is the Crokes full-forward.
The spine of the side is so strong and it contains much experience, but it’s the work-rate that sets this team apart.
They were at their brilliant best against Clontarf in the semi-final. And when Syls were proving more than stubborn opposition in the final, Crokes kept chiselling away.
They have an All-Star quality about them. Dublin have five TG4 All-Star nominations in the mix for the big gala banquet at the Bonnington on Saturday, November 16.
Incredibly, Sinéad Goldrick has already seven All-Stars on the mantelpiece.
Leah Caffrey and Carla Rowe have four each, and Jennifer Dunne won her first last year.
Clontarf’s Caoimhe O’Connor has yet to receive the nod. She was tipped last season.
If she is called to the stage this month, the bells of the city will be chiming and the birds of St Anne’s Park will be tweeting, merrily.
As Patricia Monahan commented on the podcast, Caoimhe is such a brilliant forward, fast and elusive.
Takes scores, makes scores and has a temperament that is an example to every child in the country.
Kilmacud’s attack also contains class and conviction. In the boots of Niamh Cotter, Ailbhe Davoren, Mia Jennings, Amy Conroy, Éabha Rutledge, and the genial Davoren.
