When Dreams Become Real
So, it’s finally here
The day these Cork and Clare lads have dreamt about all their life
For most of them it’s the first time in this place
But what is the reality of All-Ireland hurling final day for these players?
Are they ready for the emotional rollercoaster that lies ahead even before the sliotar is thrown in?
In the weeks leading up to the game the outside world is saying, ‘enjoy this special occasion’
But within the walls of the dressing room, the message is very clear – finals are for winning
You’re on the bus and the driver points it towards Croker
The closer you get to the ground the more supporters you see
Kids draped in the colours, their eyes full of excitement
From here on, All-Ireland final day becomes real
For a second your mind wanders and you start to dream with them
But hang on, you’re a player – you’ve got a job to do
The blue lights from the outriders light up the inside of the bus as they whiz by to clear the traffic
The heart beats a little faster
At last Croke Park fills the skyline
You take a deep breath
You mosey on up outside the stadium and the masses surround you to get a look
Your own people roaring words of encouragement
Rival fans roaring... lots of other things
Then you disappear under the stand and out of the public view
Game faces on, everything dark
You climb off the bus, there’s an RTÉ camera watching your every move and you fumble and fooster to get your gear bag and hurl safely into your hands
You catch a flash of the minor game through a gap in the stand
Back inside the dressing room all is quiet, nothing but the hum of air conditioning overhead
We strip off, tog out, listen to the battle cry
Last messages are delivered
It’s the little things, words of inspiration are spoken
And bonds are strengthened one last time
You take a look around
You may never be in a room with all these guys again
That plays on your mind
The main door swings open, time to get out beyond the darkened tunnel and run out into the light
Two teams of gladiators running out to do battle
The roars of the 80,000 outside filling the arena
As you run out onto the field it’s more like a circus than an All-Ireland final
Guys on stilts and giant hurling balls – crowd entertainment
Photo over, it’s time to start the warm-up, while the big screen blasts out adverts and shows clips from past games
It’s hard to concentrate if you’re not fully focused on the job in hand
Once the President’s met and hand is shaken you get the parade out of the way and it’s time to do what you trained for – a game of hurling that could change your life
Forever.
