ST VINCENT’S VICTORY in Croke Park yesterday helped put to bed ‘a lot of ghosts’ for their manager Tommy Conroy.
The St Vincent’s boss endured torment on the All-Ireland stage as a player losing finals with Dublin to Kerry in 1984 and 1985 while also losing the 1985 club decider with St Vincent’s against Castleisland Desmonds.
Yesterday he got to savour the winning feeling after steering St Vincent’s to victory in the All-Ireland senior club football final against Castlebar Mitchels.
“It’s put to bed a lot of ghosts for me. Genuinely it has. Even as a player, as a club player and a county player. With Dublin I lost two All-Irelands against Kerry.
“I was here in 2011, and the amount of Kerry guys I met in 2011 was incredible. When Dublin beat Kerry that day, that put a lot of ghosts to bed. It was great. To have been involved back in 2007 and 2008 with Mickey (Whelan, for St Vincent’s), that was great.
“But to head it up, it’s fantastic. I’m delighted. This is going on for, what, it’s a year and a half or whatever to win an All-Ireland club title. It’s a huge ask of an amateur player.
“Castlebar, the way they were conditioned, that was an incredible game of football for amateur players to go though today, great entertainment.”
Conroy refused to be drawn on his future plans with St Vincent’s after his two-year term concluded after yesterday’s game.
Being honest, once Dr Crokes got knocked out, I never saw St Vincents losing, they are a great side. Thought the Castlebar lads look to eager at the start, kind of over exerting themselves and a fade was inevitable. Vinnies looked calm and seemed to have a clear gameplan.
If Connolly wasn’t playing CM would have walked it