"Gaelic Park is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city"
The words of native New Yorker Tiernan Mathers when speaking about that venue in the Bronx. On Easter Saturday evening, Mathers was introduced as a sub in extra-time as New York went toe-to-toe with Leitrim at Gaelic Park. The prize of a place in a Connacht semi-final was up for grabs, with New York, after 22 previous attempts, seeking a maiden championship win.
The drama ratcheted up during the subsequent penalty shootout. Mathers was among a number of players who failed to convert from the spot, but crucially his team-mate and fellow US native Mikey Brosnan, held his nerve to slot home the decisive kick. Cue wild celebrations as darkness fell, with New York GAA finally getting the victory they craved.
A fortnight later, the New York squad were on Irish soil taking on Sligo. There was no fairytale at Markievicz Park. On a day when Benbulben was partially hidden behind a subborn mist, the visitors were no match for their hosts.
Still there was that evening to savour against Andy Moran's side.
Speaking to the media ahead of New York's Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final against Carlow, Mathers was still basking in the afterglow.
"To get over the line against Leitrim was massive," he said. "We've been in the competition for over 20 years and to finally get that win took some amount of pessure off our shoulders.
"It was so special after the match, the flood of kids, something we had neve seen before. We had a night after the match where all the younger kids came up to meet the team. To inspire the youngsters, espcially as an American born player, that means a lot, not just to us but as a community here.
"We enjoyed the win and enjoyed the couple of days after. We then went back to training and it was all eyes towards Sligo."
Things didn't go well against Yeats County, but the opportunity to play more games is certainly welcomed by all who care about the game in the Big Apple.
"It's massive," was Mathers response as the squad head back to Irish soil. A win against Carlow will prolong their stay. More accomodation to be booked.
"Last year was the first year we ended up having two matches. Normally you'd be preparing from January and you'd only have the one match to look forward to. If you lose that is it, you're done until next year. Last year after the Sligo match we knew we had another game [against Offaly], we were obviously preparing for that. The more game time we get the stronger we will grow as a team. This year to have three matches, it is an even bigger deal.
"It's massive to get over there because not only do we get the experience, we also get to showcase our homegrown talent as well. Here, all the players are split up into different teams, so we wouldn’t really get the chance to play together except when we travel home to represent New York.
"It brings us along together as a team."
Mathers also points to a vibrant club scene in New York as a means of driving standards.
"There's a lot of underage teams and, coming up to the summer, everybody is training two or three nights a week then playing matches at the weekend. So on a weekend in Gaelic Park, you could have four or five games on a Saturday then more on Sunday, then midweek matches as well.
"There’s definitely a lot of competition now in New York."
It was no surprise that Mathers took an interest in GAA. Both his parents, Colin, from Killeavy, Co Armagh and Stephanie, a native of Longstone in Co Down, were heavily involved before they emigated to the Big Apple, where they settled in Queens.
Tiernan is second eldest of eight children and every one of the eight have played for New York at some stage. Along with three of his brothers, Tiernan was part of the team that reached last year's All-Ireland junior football final against Kilkenny.
Colin Mathers would have played at a reasonable level in Ireland. A shoulder injury saw him sidelined and an opportunity arose to work in the USA.
"Injury kinda drove him over here, then they rooted down here and started the family," his son outlined.
"It's hard to leave when you’ve kids.
"We played a lot of sports when we were younger, that's the good thing over here. I played soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball. We started playing football at U-6, dad was one of the founders of Shannon Gaels so he would’ve been training us when we were younger and getting us involved, so we’d be playing football and hurling from a young age. It just kinda grew from there
Down-Armagh. Maybe not as fierce as some of the other county rivalries in GAA, but it's all good natured in the Mathers household, with Tiernan having more of a soft spot for the birthplace of his mother.
"My mum is from Longstone, we would've spent a lot of time over there when we were younger – we probably spent most of the summer over there, doing Cul Camps at Longstone club, training away when we’re over there.
"I'd be more of a Down man. It was funny watching it [Down-Armagh Ulster semi-final] in the house, there's a split when it comes to those sort of matches, mom was shouting for Down and dad was sitting quietly in his Armagh jersey. He didn’t have to do much talking with the scoreline.
"We would've spent a lot more time in Down when we were younger, and I have a lot of friends in Longstone. I gravitate a lot more towards them than the Armagh team."
Juggling his work life, where he is a project manager with the construction firm Navillus (sponsors of New York GAA), and studying for a Masters at the New York Institute of Technology, is a balancing act that Mathers is happy to keep doing. Being part of the GAA scene in the land of his birth is important to him.
"It definitely helps you to be in touch with your roots so I do enjoy it. I have been doing it since U-6. Travelling home to be able to represent the New York team is massive.
And as for that buzz around Gaelic Park, he added: "It is definitely different because you are getting people from everywhere. It is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. You get to meet all of the Irish and all of the other teams are up early watching matches.
"Then towards the championship end of the season the stands are packed. It is good craic afterwards, hopefully it will be a bit better when we get the clubhouse finished."
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