What life is really like behind the scenes at Palatine GAA.
Palatine GAA ended nine years of hurt when they saw off the challenge of Old Leighlin to claim their first Carlow senior title since 2006 on a memorable mid-October day.
The champions will now hope to continue their success in their Leinster Championship campaign and follow in the footsteps of another great Carlow club Éire Óg, winners of five Leinster Championships and runners-up in the All-Ireland club final on two occasions in the 1990s.
With 2015 proving to be a very successful year for the club, spirits are high in Palatine at the moment.
Ahead of their Leinster Championship campaign, we spoke with PRO John Kelly to give us a taste of life at Palatine and the lowdown on all the goings on behind the dressing room door.
Spotlight on Palatine
Club: Palatine
Club Colours: Red with green sash.
Year established: 1909
Estimated size of population covered by the parish: 1,500
Proudest moment in club’s history: Without a doubt, this year, 2015.
We won the Senior, Minor and Junior C championships and were beaten in the U-21 final. Our ladies won the intermediate final, the juveniles won the U-16 B title and the U14s won a Division 8 Shield at Féile. We also provided the match officials for the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Final.
Anyone know of a good trophy cabinet maker ??
Posted by Palatine GAA Club on Saturday, 17 October 2015
Most loyal supporter: Paul Tracey. He goes to everything – matches, training, meetings, you name it. He also donates a sizeable amount to the club bar each week!
***
Best nickname: The hardest category to pick a winner. You could choose from Sceach, Angie, Goss, Scobie, Stretch, Gorgeous, The Goat, Sid, Horse, Whack, Spud and Cush but the winner has to be Snackbox, aka Cormac Holloway.
Most likely to be found on Tinder: We have a few eligible bachelors who are reaching their sell-by date… Joe Byrne and Sceach for example!
Most likely to break a beer ban: Lee Gordon is a fond of a few scoops.
Dodgiest championship haircut: Bryan Farrell. He only did it to cut the grey hairs out, so as not to give the opposition a psychological advantage.
Last guy off the pitch at training: Craig Kearney (goalie) and Brian ‘Sceach’ Kelly usually hang around to practise frees and kick-outs.
Team-mate you’d least like to get a hefty shoulder from: Joe Byrne or Snackbox. Two big units… in completely different ways!
Team-mate the opposition would most like to give a hefty shoulder to: I’d say Aidan Murphy could do with a good shoulder. It wouldn’t be wasted on him!
Oldest player to play for the club: I’ll refer you to the Junior B story below…
Player with longest distance to travel to training: There are a good few lads working and studying in the ‘Big Smoke’.
Last guy you’d want to take a penalty in the last minute of a county final: Sceach Kelly missed two penalties in the same game last year. So probably him.
Player you’re most likely to mute on players’ Facebook page: You can never get Bryan Farrell off Facebook. He’s addicted to it.
Best club Junior B story: Several years ago we had a particularly poor turnout for a Junior league match.
Having only 12 players, a couple of spectators and the club chairman were press-ganged into action. Jim Woods (RIP), Stephen McDonald and Paddy Hosey were all well into their 60s when they took the field.
Paddy even played in his wellies. They were all from the no-nonsense school of Gaelic Football and were all delighted with the chance to sharpen their elbows one last time.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
RELATED ARTICLES
MORE FROM JOE
MORE FROM JOE
