Liam Neeson has filmed an inspirational shout-out to Cushendall Ruairí Ógs ahead of the Antrim team's All-Ireland Club Hurling Final match against Limerick's Na Piarsaigh in Croke Park on St Patrick's Day.
It is Ruairí Ógs' first-ever appearance in an All-Ireland Club Hurling Final and the viral video sees the Ballymena A-lister and former schoolboy hurler channelling his best Cú Chulainn.
Standing near Cushendall beach with sliothar and hurley in his hands as Neeson urges the team on, saying: "Bring the trophy home boys. Up the Ruairí's!" before showing off his own hurling skills.
Ruairí Ógs have a special place in Neeson's heart because his family has a long history with the Cushendall area. The actor and his late wife Natasha Richardson came to Cushendall when they were engaged and the Taken star's sons are regular visitors with him. Neeson's sister, Bernadette Sexton, also has a home there.
Speaking to Ray D'Arcy on RTÉ Radio 1, Bernadette said the video was shot on Tuesday afternoon when she, her brother and nephew Alastair went for a walk.
"With a field of sheep behind him I held the camera, Alastair did the directing and Liam did the all-action hero bit," she said.
Bernadette said her brother loves the game and takes out the sliothar for a puck with his sons on their farm in upstate New York.
"He was never any great hurler," she added, "but it's always been around. That and boxing were the two sports in our family. Soccer never had a look-in; tennis never had a look-in."
When asked about her brother's impressive sleeveless t-shirt physique in the video, Bernadette replied: "I only noticed later he peeled off! Yeah, that was a good move because one minute he had a big fleece on him and the next minute he peeled off!"
Bernadette said Cushendall is "buzzing" ahead of the Croke Park game. "I think virtually every man, woman and child will be heading down to Croke Park to support the team," she enthused.
Sadly, Ruairí Ógs won't have Neeson as their 16th man in the stands as he headed back to the US on Wednesday morning. He had returned home to join his mother Kitty for her 90th birthday celebrations on Tuesday.
"My mother's from Waterford," said Bernadette, "and Waterford's a hurling mad county too."
GAA Beo begins on TG4 from 1.30pm on St Patrick's Day with live coverage of the hurling and football finals.
And on the subject of hurling, perhaps Neeson should consider teaming up on the big screen with another movie tough guy, Jason Statham - he showed himself to be quite the hurley aficionado in his 2011 film Blitz.
In Blitz, Jason Statham memorably described the game as "a cross between hockey and murder"
Check him out in action below:
