In this the year in which Cork holds the title of the European City of Culture, Cork City Council sent White’s Cross GAA off to Dublin! The trip all tied in with the Club’s success in last years McSwiney Cup. As winners of this competition, named after Cork’s historic mayor Terence McSwiney, which is sponsored by the City Council, White’s Cross GAA Club travelled to Dublin to play Kilmacud Crokes in a Tournament game. The connection with this Dublin team is that Terence McSwiney’s great grandson plays for the Club and indeed played in this particular game.
An early rise Saturday morning, had the White’s Cross lads on the road at 7 o’ clock and in Dublin before 11:30. Players, mentors and club officials then checked into their Bewley’s Hotel base in Leopardsatown before making the short trek over to the Kilmacud Grounds.
White’s Cross, showing no signs of the long bus journey, started the game well and raced into an early lead with Murt Kelleher and Kevin Buckley slotting over early scores. A great move from the middle of the field saw John Drummy, Rick Burke and Pat Hennessy all combine to send Conor Kelleher through for the game’s opening goal, after 14 minutes. The Dublin side responded with a couple of points before Eoghan Kelleher slotted over a fine long range effort. Billy Sheahan pulled off an excellent save form the Crokes full-froward to deny them a goal on twenty minutes. The half time score saw White’s Cross lead 1-6 to 0-3.
The Dublin lads upped the tempo early in the second half to reduce the deficit to four points. White’s Cross again responded from a free slotted over, after a foul on Conor Buckley. Strong defence play by John O’ Connell, Padraig and Eoin Murnane, Barry O’ Brien and John Meade soaked up constant pressure. However the midfield partnership of John Drummy and Murt Kelleher again regained the initiative and saw the Cork lads add further points.
However after 47 minutes the Crokes boys scored their first goal of the day and this was followed soon after by a dubious penalty decision favouring the Dublin side. The initial kick was saved well by Sheahan only for the referee to give the Crokes centre-forward a second chance, by ruling a re-kick. This second effort was converted to leave White’s Cross holding a slender two point advantage. Dave Buckley, fresh on the field, then fisted over brilliantly to alleviate the pressure, after Paul Noonan had seen his effort go just wide.
The last five minutes saw four points being exchaged equally by both sides for the Cork lads to win out by three. After the game, in a function at the Club-house, Maire Nic Suibhne Brugha, the eighty-four year old daughter of Terence McSwiney, was presented with a specially commisssioned replica medal to mark the game by White’s Cross chairperson John Drummy. She, along with her son Cathal, had earlier watched Cathal Og play at wing-forward for the Crokes side. John Drummy thanked the McSwiney Brugha’s for their kind invitation to Dublin for such an event, and also the Kilmacud Crokes side. He also thanked Cork City Council and in particular Mr. Damien O Mahony, for their sponsorship and assistance in organising the weekend.