Surely the hearts of hurling women and men everywhere must have lifted more than a little at the news emanating out of Croke Park shortly after half past five today, writes An Fear Rua...

Allianz National Hurling League final: Dublin 0-22 Kilkenny 1-7

Today’s Dublin victory has many notable aspects, all of them positive for the wider GAA family. First and foremost, it is a victory wrought out of hard graft and patient persistence by hundreds of unsung heroes and heroines at juvenile, club, college, minor, under 21 and senior level over a long number of years. It was built on the courage of individual hurlers who forsook football for hurling in a county where, at times, football has been elevated to cult status. Tribute must be paid, as well, to the astute Clare hurling master Anthony Daly, who has guided them perfectly to this day. Under his tutelage, we have watched in admiration the Dublin hurlers sleekly making their way towards their first national senior hurling title in many years, like salmon heading surely to the sea.

Dublin’s league triumph today is an example and a template for other counties to follow. They have illuminated the path from rank outsiders and also-rans to stylish winners. Many a heart in counties like Limerick, Waterford, Clare, Cork, Galway, Offaly and Wexford will beat a little faster now in the hope that they, too, may soon emulate the Dubs.

The last time they were in a League final a feisty little guy from Minnesota called Harry Truman was President of the United States and the Argentine people had elected a colourful character named Juan Peron to lead their country. For the first time, bikinis had gone on sale in Paris, France – not Texas – and Bill Haley’s professional musical career had begun with a group called the Down Homers. A lot of changes since then, but all the sweeter for such a long wait. And the even better news? Two years after their league final appearance in ’46 the Dubs were back again in Croke Park in ’48 for an All Ireland final. Maybe history is repeating itself?

It was good to see a blue-and-navy Hill getting behind a team of Dublin hurlers. It is good to have the GAA’s flag – and a hurling one at that – planted firmly at the heart of our capital city and county. The decision by Dublin City Council to favour Leinster rugby by flying flags along the Liffey quays this weekend shows how out of touch they are. These same people will be falling over themselves to get in the photos if they organise a civic reception for the victorious hurlers. If the hurlers are invited, they should tell the City councillors and officials to shove their invitation, along with their Leinster rugby flags, where the sun doesn’t shine.

Kilkenny apologists may, half heartedly, point to the depletion of their strength by losses of key players through injury as a factor in their defeat. However, any Kilkenny team still has to be beaten where it matters – on the field of play. And beaten they were. Comprehensively. Stylishly. With chutzpah. Pleas of absent personnel can only be made in mitigation of a verdict and a sentence that was handed with focussed ferocity by the Dublin hurlers. Even a full strength Kilkenny would have found it hard to cope with Dublin today – their conviction, their skill, their fitness, their parade of points from impossible angles.

Next weekend, one of the stars of that ’48 Dublin side, Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin, retires after a lifetime of service to the GAA and broadcasting. What better send-off could he have wished for than today’s outstanding result?

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Dublin City Council flags along the Liffey quays. Who should they honour?
Linked articles:
Dublin hurlers. A defining year? - Press Box Lad
Under age is the key to future success - Press Box Lad