Randal Óg hero Daly brings cups to Ballinacarriga

SEAN Daly’s legend within Randal Óg GAA circles is already assured.

The 20-year-old was part of the Munster and All-Ireland winning Cork U20 hurling panel, and became the first player from his club to win an All-Ireland title.

Daly is big news back home, and his recent visit to Ballinacarriga National School during their sports day highlighted this.

‘It was fantastic, and do you know the best thing about it?’ Randal Óg GAA Chairman Frank O’Donnell said. ‘The junior infants all the way up to the old fellas such as Donie O’Brien and Kevin McCarthy were all there. You’re talking about people up to 75 years of age back down to four year olds and all in between.

‘It was a buzz you just couldn’t replicate. The principal of the school, Roisin Glavin, needs to get great applause too. The idea was spun to her and nothing was a problem.

‘Sean took time then to talk to the kids in the school, teachers, family and local supporters. He took pictures, signed autographs, he never left anyone out.’

Randal Óg GAA Club Chairman Frank O'Donnell with Seán Daly and the Munster and All-Ireland U20 cups.

These are good times to be a Randal Óg player and supporter. The club is now competing in the Carbery junior A grade in both codes and were competitive in football last season. The community is thriving too.

‘I've been the chairman of the club for the last 11 years. The school itself is celebrating 150 years in September. When my own lad started in that school in 2005, the school was down to around 27 pupils. They’re now up to 100 plus and they’re going from strength to strength, ’O’Donnell explained.

The success of Sean Daly, the only Carbery representative on the triumphant Cork U20 hurling panel, is important locally. His visit to the school highlighted this.

‘The kids were sitting agasp with mouths open and were swallowing every bit of advice given to them. What Sean told them will stick with them: listen to your teachers and coaches but most of all enjoy it,’ O’Donnell said.

‘If you enjoy it, it’s not a chore, it’s something you’ll thrive on. Sean also said he was looking into the crowd and he could be seeing a future All-Ireland winning hurler or footballer. They just need to work hard and realise their dreams.’

Local hero Sean Daly signing autographs for Ballinacarriga NS pupils.

Daly is not just a hero for local kids but also for the adults, including the chairman himself.

‘He’s the most unassuming young man I’ve ever met. I would love to be able to say that the club manufactured Sean and made him into the player that he is, but it was Sean himself who did that through his hard work and determination,’ O’Donnell explained.

‘The kids asked a lot of questions and one of them was how he started. Sean said he was six years old, going down to the pitch and pucking with his father.

‘To have him as part of our club, it’s unbelievable. Would we have envisaged a lad coming down to the club with an All-Ireland U20 medal in his pocket? Probably not. For him to stand on that stage, it’s a serious thing to see the heights that he has got to,’ O’Donnell said.

Randal Óg GAA Club wants to thank Cork GAA's Derek Connolly for allowing them to bring the All-Ireland and Munster cups to Ballinacarriga.