So there we all were, the whole town, the whole county, watching Up for the Match, spotting P Cos in the audience…
…and it came to the super-duper prize at the end. The phone-in prize. Des Cahill was a bit pressed for time and it flashed through fairly quickly.
Tony from Ballinrobe. That’s Tony Walkin, says I, our Club President, see his recent President’s Project video HERE. I’d recognise his dulcet tones anywhere.
So we tweeted out the great news. Even gave a passing mention to Tony Jnr, who played for Mayo v Cork in 1991 All-Ireland minor final.
Said it’d be only proper to ring Tony to congratulate him. As we dialled, we spotted the texts coming through to say the winner was Tony ‘Flat Out’ Finnerty.
Tony Walkin said it wasn’t him, though he had entered the competition alright.
Got young Mark Finnerty on the phone. Winner alright, it’s his uncle Tony. Top prize. It’s on RTE.ie already apparently.
No better man, Tony Finnerty: great supporter of club and county. A few years ago, he took ill and we almost lost him during a Mayo v Derry NFL game that Mike was commentating on – Mike had to leave the commentary box just before half-time as the drama unfolded. Read about that HERE.
His son Mike is known nationally as broadcaster and journalist – Mayo News, TV3, Mid West Radio, and a former distinguished secretary of this club. Tony’s other son Paul was a member of the Mayo panel for the 2001 All-Ireland U21 final. Paul was a Mayo intermediate championship winner with Ballinrobe.
Daughter Michelle will be delighted too: she had a close one last night when she nearly won an All-Ireland ticket in our club raffle. Instead she a got a beanie hat. Them’s the breaks.
Safe travelling, one and all, or if you’re already up there, enjoy the rest of your night.
Best of luck to our seniors Donal Vaughan and Kenneth O’Malley. Unfortunately our minor Stephen Burke didn’t make the final minor panel. He played in the Connacht final, and played well, but got injured at the wrong time and time has beaten him in his efforts to regain his place.
Maigh Eo abu.