Shay McElligot and Conor Mathers celebrate following New York's All-Ireland JFC Final win over Kilkenny at Croke Park. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
A team of native New Yorkers triumphed at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. An All-Ireland JFC title was captured following Brian Coughlan’s sweet late point against Kilkenny. Developing and nurturing homegrown talent is precisely what clubs in New York continue to do.
So this was a particularly satisfying success. Selector Kevin Moriarty stood outside the Cusack Stand dressing rooms at GAA headquarters and was fully aware of the importance of the victory for several different reasons.
“It is absolutely fantastic, we have had a great year since last November,” he reflected. “We've been going hard with seniors and juniors, and all of the support we have got from the clubs.
“It is fabulous to win this, we were here last year, we got beaten. We knew we had a job to do this year, we came, we worked hard, and we got the victory. It is absolutely brilliant.”
When Kilkenny netted a goal in a tight second half New York were under duress, but they found a way to respond.
“To be honest I was a little bit nervous after what happened last year, we know that the backbone of this team has always been just to never give up,” Moriarty says.
“Johnny McGeeney has been instilling that in the lads since last November, the juniors and seniors. That is what they do - they never stop. They go from when the ball is throw in. You have lads out there probably sitting down with exhaustion. They are a great bunch.”
New York players, management, and supporters celebrate at McClean Avenue on Monday evening.
That juvenile and third level teams are travelling to Ireland more frequently matters deeply to New York. “Everything is a positive, every time we win something or come to Ireland for the Féile, an U16, U17, boys, girls, and camogie, any time New York wins something in Ireland it is absolutely a huge boost,” Moriarty says.
“There was one lad on that team, who had never set foot in Ireland before. In his first trip to Ireland, he is after winning an All-Ireland medal, you can't beat that.
“Every one of these players is born and bred in New York, every single one of them. They have gone through the whole minor system over there.”
Recently overseas units have benefitted from the All-Ireland JFC, providing worthwhile opportunities for players. “The more teams the better, one of the biggest problems we have in New York is we can't get playing time,” Moriarty says.
“We have nobody to play. We are playing every week against ourselves, it gets very familiar. If I'm marking you every other day I know exactly where you are turning, we don't get new opposition.
“There is no problem with our skills, our fitness, and our strength, it is just all game time. We need game time.”
Two matches in Dublin at the weekend served New York. Silverware was brought to McClean Avenue on Monday evening.
