IT WAS A lovely summer’s night in Perth, a dull and dreary January afternoon in Galway.
Eileen McElroy fired up the laptop and synced it with the television. Her heart sank for a moment, as it always did when she watched her beloved Donaghmoyne side from afar.
The Monaghan powerhouse fell short to Kilkerrin-Clonberne in the All-Ireland senior semi-final, the Galway side going on to dethrone Mourneabbey and be crowned 2021/22 club champions.
328 days later, Donaghmoyne and Kilkerrin-Clonberne do battle once more.
This time in the All-Ireland final.
This time in Croke Park.
And this time, McElroy is on the team-sheet, back home from Australia.
“Well, I kind of still am in Perth,” the star midfielder, who also represented Monaghan at inter-county level through the years, tells The42.
“I’m only home for six months to play the football. I’m doing my [doctor] training in Perth. I’ve been over there for the last five-and-a-half years. I went over in 2017, we had just come off the back of winning two All-Irelands in-a-row.
“Only went for six months at that time because I was coming back home to Donaghmoyne to play for potentially a three in-a-row that year in 2017.
“But unfortunately we lost the Ulster final that year. I got a bit of a giving out to from some of the girls telling me never to come back for football again!
“But here I am, five years later, coming back for football.”
Originally a mixture of work and the opportunity to travel lured McElroy Down Under. She graduated medicine at UCD in 2015, and planned to follow the trend of Irish doctors going overseas for a stint. Perth was the place that was offering plenty of jobs so, “like the sheep that I am,” she joined friends and work colleagues there.
A long-term stay never even crossed her mind back then. She could never have imagined still being there in 2022, the same year Donaghmoyne won their 20th county senior championship title in-a-row.
“I had initially only gone for six months and then I said I’d go back and give it one full year and that kind of turned into another year and another year and now, I’m in the middle of training up over there.
“I’ve got two-and-a-half years left to do whenever I go back, but the opportunity fell to me this year that I could come home and and give it six months at home. I’ve been very lucky to get three months of work while I’m at home as well.
“It’s allowed me to play football and spend some time with family and friends and have a Christmas at home eventually. It’s been wonderful.”
The pull was always there. That itch to come home.
Reminders often came through on the the phone, and they were always Donaghmoyne-related.
A friend in Oz advised her to leave the team WhatsApp group to ease transition.
But McElroy persisted.
“I never left the WhatsApp group, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it,” she explains.
“You could be sitting on a beach drinking a cocktail, and all I’d want to do was be on the field in Donaghmoyne that evening, never mind sitting on a beach in 40 degree heat.
“You’d always have that little heart-sink whenever they’re about to line out for a championship game. I thought I wasn’t going to be as passionate about it, but watching some of the games, I was incredibly wound up and shouting at the TV.
“One time they were playing an All-Ireland semi and I was meant to start a night shift. I had to tell them, I was going to be a half-an-hour late because I was watching the end of the game.
“I thought maybe over the couple of years, the passion might have drifted, but seeing them line out and not being there just made that want stronger to get back home and play with them one last time.
“A few thoughts had passed my mind while I was in Australia, ‘Had I played my last game for Donaghmoyne?’
“But the opportunity arose this year. It’s been a very special journey for me.”
Donaghmoyne to the backbone
It all started out in 2008 for McElroy.
There was no women’s team at her local club Castleblayney at the time, so she was left without football after finishing up with the boys, aged 10 or 11. At secondary school, she made friends with a few Donaghmoyne girls, including fellow stalwart Amanda Casey.
“They were at me for a few years: ‘Ah, you should come out to Donaghmoyne and give it a go…’ I used to be in the pub selling lottos for Castleblaney, they’d be trying to poach me. ‘Come on out and give it a go!’
“In 2008 I took the plunge, I was 17. Amanda Casey picked me up for training and I’ve never looked back.
“I’d heard about Donaghmoyne at that stage. They were up and coming, they had already won an All-Ireland [2006]. My friends would be telling me all the craic they’d be having in the pub and everything. But I never thought that I was going to be a part of that.”
They’ve reigned supreme in Monaghan every year since. McElroy holds eight Ulster medals (2008-09, 2011-13, 2015-16 and 2022) and four Celtic Crosses from 2009, 2012 and 2015-16.
She can’t speak highly enough of the team she holds so dearly, that remained the centre of her universe almost 15,000km away.
“You never lose that connection. You’ll always have those people to come back and just fall in with, you’re back in with your group of friends. They welcomed me with open arms whenever I arrived back in on a Tuesday evening.
“They never forgot about me. There’d always be phone calls. If they won the county title or Ulster, they might say, ‘When are you coming back?’ or ‘Get yourself on a plane!’
“The temptation was always there to just hop on a plane and come home and join them again.
“I think for me this year, the journey has nearly been better than the actual wins,” she adds with a smile, having not missed a beat since returning to these shores in August.
All in, 100%. Eating, sleeping and breathing football.
That’s the religion in Donaghmoyne, silverware the currency. October, November and December the preferred time of year; the cold, dark, wet evenings indicating “we’re doing well”.
But what’s the secret to their success?
“We hate losing,” she grins. “That, I think, is what drives us on.
“Thankfully we haven’t lost a massive amount of games and the ones that we do, we ruminate over them and we always think we could do better. We always say a team never beats us, we lose it within ourselves. We’re very honest, and just incredibly passionate for the sport and for each other.
“We love winning. I think it’s probably as simple as that. While we have the good times and we know we can do it, why stop? There’s girls that are meant to be retired years and years ago, and they’re still soldiering on. The Amanda Caseys, the Fiona Courtneys, the Sharon Courtneys, Joanne Courtney is still there. She’s commuting from Kilkenny to just be a part of the team and make the games.
“It’s just that band of sisters that you want to be a part. Some girls have never left the club, they’ve been there throughout all the 20, 30 years the club is going.”
Just like one special man. The mastermind behind it all.
The one and only Francie Coleman.
“Francie formed the club 31 years ago and it’s really fitting that the day we make it to Croke Park he’s the man that’s leading us out. It’s incredibly nice.
“I’m sure he thought about maybe hanging up his boots every now and again, but he still comes back. I think it’s his passion. If Francie wasn’t there, I think you’d have a few less players, but once we hear Francie is still on board with us, that always gives the girls that hunger to get back.”
Croke Park calling
To fly the flag on the biggest stage is something special.
McElroy and co. have plenty of All-Ireland final experience, but across an array of venues like Drogheda (’05), Dromard (’06), Banagher (’09), Ballinamore (’12), Carrick on Shannon (’13), and Parnell Park (’15 and ’16), some even lining out at HQ with Monaghan, but to take to that hallowed turf with your club elevates this occasion.
“It’s a dream to be able to run out onto Croke Park. Everyone dreams of it as a kid kicking the ball around. We’re gonna get to live it for real this time.”
A big rematch of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final lies ahead, and McElroy says the group take confidence from that 2-8 to 0-8 defeat.
“I know personally, I haven’t played Kilkerrin-Clonberne but knowing the calibre of some of the players that have lined up for Galway, they’re an excellent team and you can see they’re very well set-up.”
The Holy Grail is within touching distance.
For Donaghmoyne. And for McElroy.
The cherry on top of a remarkable year.
“This is what we love,” she enthuses. This is what they do.
The burning question before finishing up: Is that return flight booked?
In short, yes. She’s taken some time off in January, February and March to do some travelling, before spending Easter at home and then returning to Perth — “with a heavy heart” — and picking up her training.
“But as I say,” she concludes. “You never know what each year holds.
“I’m hoping that this will not be my last match with Donaghmoyne. You never know what the next couple years have in store…”
It looks like something that would be built in the 80s. No imagination.
Pity the GAA didn’t fund this themselves they’re well able to
@Jamie: should have been redesigned once the fcuk up structurally was confirmed and the whole stadium needed to be knocked. It should have been built as an all seater modern multi sport municipal stadium, government funded, co-owned and run that the whole city could have been proud of. Can you imagine cork with international soccer and big rugby matches. Instead we have a glorified greyhound track, rebuilt as per the 1970s design that will be empty bar 3-4 games a year. Such a waste.
@Leo Erah: 100% agree with you
@Leo Erah: Amen to that!
@Leo Erah: while that is the perfect solution can you see the GAA, IRFU and FAI ever sharing stadiums all over the country.
@Fear Uisce: fai and irfu do at the aviva you should rephrase that as the GAA
@Jamie: I said all around the country. the GAA was happy enough to let them use Croker for a few years
@Fear Uisce: Ye because of the cash on offer that’s the only reason
@Jamie: joke in Limerick too. Gaelic Grounds never used and when it is tiny crowds given the size of the venue. Markets Field for soccer, Thomond Park the only decent modern stadium of the three. For a city the size of Limerick is bananas having three venues.
@Jamie @Fear Uisce @Leo Erah: No prizes for guessing you guys aren’t GAA fans :-) You are taking a very simplistic view on the matter by not considering the GAA’s position.
You are ignoring the key fact that there is competition for players here. The FAI and IRFU have an international dimension giving them earning potential that far exceeds the GAA. The GAA has infrastructure in the form of stadia and local grounds, why would they give away their trump card? It is all very well to bury your head in the sand and pretend the associations are not in competition with each other, they clearly are.
Also painting the GAA as money grabbing is factually in correct, it is very well run from a financial point of view at least. Check out their publicly available financial report to see how the money filters down to the clubs. The government grant for Pairc ui Chaoimh is only a fraction of what the IRFU and FAI received for the Aviva.
@Ted Logan: it’s better than a lot of the crap stadiums that we have in Ireland
@Ted Logan: better than a lot of the crap stadiums we have in this country
@Leo Erah: bang on
Do you think the Fai get the Aviva free of charge or something. While they have a ground sharing contract and split the debt, the ground still belongs to the irfu
@Ted Logan: jealous
@Dahayeser: in Australia same level of competition between federations, however grounds are municipal and shared. GAA have stadia today because funding has been provided by government. In a country the size of Ireland 3 stadiums in one small city is nuts. As for this new stadium a revamped version of an outdated and dangerous relic. Shocking!!!
Ger lane was not available for comment. He was to busy on the trowel.
If in theory dublin and Kk win, wex have to play dublin, and they’re going to bring the game to cork? Do they not usually wait to see the draw before the venue is announced?
@MunsterFan: never mind, misread the bit about the meeting once the games are over this w/e
I would be shocked if this is ready lads. No second fixtures inside the building complete yet. The outside areas are still a building site, with mounds of rubble and earth everywhere. Wooden hoarding up and no perimeters in place. Builders compound still full and workers still going at it 24/7. It may open but it will look shite and not ready and if that’s the case what’s the point?
They’ll be lucky to have it open for Ed Sheeran at this rate and that’s assuming an Bord Pleanala grant them planning permission for it!
@Leo Erah: got nothing to do with planning ( which goes to city council not bord pleanala), all they need do is apply to city council for an event licence.
@John Buckley: that’s incorrect. An Bord Pleanalas terms of granting planning specifically called out that planning was granted for the venue as a “sporting venue” and not to be used for recreational use pending additional planning applications. I.e. No planning for venue to be used for concerts. Have a read of the planning submissions on the city council website. They also need a licence from the council on top of the planning which is no slam dunk.
@Leo Erah: Thats incorrect. There is no point in reading submissions as they are observations made by the public. The planning conditions are all that matter. Cork City Council have said the concerts do not require planning and only require an events licence. The use of the word ancillary in the conditions is probably what makes this possible. There is no condition to make them go for planning for concerts.
@John Buckley: the planning conditions from an Bord pleanala are all on the system also John, they specifically call out concerts and non sporting events needing separate planning applications. It’s all there in black and white and the the cork board commented on it at the time saying it hey would be returning for additional planning. Have a read of the full report from an Bord pleanala.
@John Buckley: just dug it out – section 13.20 of the inspectors report says “this application does not include provision for concerts”. It defines ancillary as use of the stand facilities by the GAA and third parties.
@Leo Erah: The only condition relating to this is: 3- all uses hereby permitted shall be ancillary to the principal use of the development site as a sports facility. It says nothing about requiring planning for concerts. Cork City council have stated planning is not needed for concerts, only an events licence.
@John Buckley: go to the section I called out above in the report. It clarifies concerts and explains ancilary. It’s not for concerts. Feel like I’m banging my head off a brick wall here.
@Leo Erah: no condition says they need to get planning to hold a concert. Both the Lord Mayor and a senior council official have stated concerts do not require planning and only need a events licence. The official is qualified to interpret the planning conditions, you are not. In their opinion a license is sufficient.
@John Buckley: have you read the Bord Pleanala report I pointed you towards? I specifically says that concerts are excluded from the planning application and that ancillary use is for events with up to 600 personnel present outside of sporting occasions. I don’t give a fup what the Lord Mayor says it’s there in black and white. Our local residents committee even reviewed it last week and the local councillor confirmed the GAA needed to reapply for planning for the event to go ahead. Jesus man.
@Leo Erah: I don’t care what the local councillor said, it’s the senior council official that is the expert. The description of the sports facility on the inspectors report is taken from the Cork City Development plan. This hasn’t changed in years so they can do what the did for the Bruce Springsteen concert and apply for an events licence and not planning. Your residents committee should get an experts opinion and not an unqualified councillors opinion.
You’re right John, I’ll just ignore the Bord Pleanala report that states it in black and white so and listen to what the “senior council” allegedly said. #youcantakeahorsetothewater
@Leo Erah: Croke park planning permission has a condition limiting it to 3 concerts a year, this was the problem with Garth Brooks. Pairc ui Chaoimh only condition is its use as a sports facility. In 1999 the supreme court ruled that Lansdowne road, a sports facility, did not require planning permission for concerts. These require a public events licence under the planning and development act 2000. Cork County Board probably intentionally kept concerts out of the planning so they would not be conditioned on it and then would comply with planning act by getting a license.
A lot of gaa bashing on here today. What’s new I suppose. #clowncomments
@Conor O’ Sullivan: more Cork County Board bashing than GAA bashing..
I have great respect for the GAA but as a GAA follower in Cork who has witnessed the incompetence of a dictatorial Cork County Board I have zero confidence in them or their ability to run a modern stadium.
@Conor O’ Sullivan: Looks great! 45k capacity – well done lads :)
With the amount of tax funds spent on this stadium 300 houses could have been built in Cork to ease the current crisis, and considering the state of the infrastructure within the city such as roads,money should have been spent to accommodate all tax payers rather than just a few gaa fans. Aviva stadium got zero funding and IRFU and FAI had to pay rent to the gaa for Croke Park, which also received government funding over the years.The GAA should only get funding through the budget like all other sports and not a sent more for inclusive stadiums. Tax payers money could have been more wisely spent and if all tax payers funds are spent on a stadium then all sports should have been included.
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: the aviva got €191m of government funding
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: check your facts. The Aviva Stadium got €192 million in government funding. That’s more than twice what Croke Park got. Does that change your tune in any way about what sports should be played where, or about how money spent on stadia could be ‘better’ spent?
@Jumperoo: no not at all, you’re getting your ‘facts’ from an article which was written in 2010 which refers to the 191m figure as the governments estimated cost of surrounding infrastructure to support the stadium . The gaa gets extortionate funding from the government and lotto which could be better spent. Taking upwards of 50 million out of a economy like cork when hospitals, roads and housing are in bits is shameful. Ireland is a modern country with modern needs and to have the GAA still intertwined in the Irish political landscape is stupid, outdated and only facilitates a very few tax payers. This is not about which sports get what its about what the county needs and where the money is being spent. A terraced stadium which will be sold out once year may not be the wisest investment
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: pretty sure I’m getting it from the aviva stadium website where you can download the factsheet https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.avivastadium.ie/docs/default-document-library/download-the-aviva-stadium-fact-sheet-here-.pdf%3Fsfvrsn%3D0&ved=0ahUKEwjb07XWvvDUAhVQKVAKHd24BmcQFggtMAE&usg=AFQjCNEc-s-FUw3NCCl6Kg14iNnpdFBZiQ
@Donal Ryan: Lets say Billy in Mitchelstown hurts his neck playing football and needs to be rushed to hospital, they cant take him 20 minutes away to Mallow as the hospital is under funded, under staffed and under treat of closure due to lack of funding. So Billy must travel 50 minutes to Cork City where his neck gets moved and injured further due to bad roads. Then poor Billy is out of work and cant afford the extortionate rent he has to pay brought on by current housing crisis but good old Billy is in great spirits because at least he has a second rate stadium to visit once a year paid for by the Irish tax payer. 30m from the government and 20m from the council for a unneeded stadium is just irresponsible spending especially when there are failing facilities.
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh:
Billy should have taken the motorway instead of trying to avoid the toll going on bad roads
@Donal Giltinan: Motorway doesn’t lead directly to any hospital in cork, so its 50 mins. Do you know how to use google maps donal? your narrow minded, parochial and conservative point of view is typical of the GAA community. Ignorance is bliss I suppose so ignore the valid points made, just stick to your own narrative good man.
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: what’s that got to do with the aviva getting €191m
Hold on….since when was Cork a neutral venue??? Some neck expecting ppl will travel that far for a qualifier…good luck to them!
@patrick keane: Sure Cork is lovely for a weekend out :)
If cork city got a big team in Europe would they offer them to use it considering turners cross holds 6,000??
Who cares, Galway don’t have to go #Galway4Liam
@Trev Gilmore: hon the premier!!! We will prob beat dublin but then thats i’d say. Anyone but kilkenny then
@Trev Gilmore: Gaillamh Abu 2017
I took the virtual reality tour of Pairc Ui Chaoimh last week and it struck me as a fine job when it will be finished
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: why wouldn’t billy take the motorway from mitchelstown to cork?
i was there in1976 Cork v Kerry and nothing worked the turnstiles could not take the crowd so the fans broke down the gates after that the fans spilled unto the sidelines get it right this time CON.
@Pol Mac An Sionnaigh: yes I can use Google maps pol and if you can too you’ll see it’s motorway and dual carriageway the whole way from mitchelstown to CUH. Not a bad road in site. It was a light hearted comment poking fun, not meant to cause you such anguish
Ah lads lads
Do ye think the governing board would have the design foresight or be aloud to :) or indeed think of the wider cork sports :) Did they find the boss’s big seat ☝️he who can’t be named