• Home
  • /
  • GAA
  • /
  • Steelstown Captain Delivers One Of The Great Croke Park Speeches

Steelstown Captain Delivers One Of The Great Croke Park Speeches

Steelstown Captain Delivers One Of The Great Croke Park Speeches
PJ Browne
By PJ Browne
Share this article

Steelstown Brian Ógs won the GAA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship title with victory over Trim at Croke Park on Sunday.

Steelstown, from Derry, defeated Meath champions Trim 3-14 to 2-5 at GAA headquarters.

On the steps of the Hogan Stand following the game, Steelstown captain Neil Forrester delivered a stirring speech.

"To Croke Park, the GAA, AIB, this is an incredible competition," Forrester began.

"It really is the crown jewel in the GAA calendar because you can see how much it means to the parishes and communities of Ireland."

steelstown captain neil forrester speech gaa all-ireland intermediate final

6 February 2022; Steelstown captain Neil Forester, 11, celebrates after his side's victory in the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Final match between Trim, Meath, and Steelstown Brian Óg's, Derry, at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Forrester continued: "We're a young club. We were founded by Anthony McGurk, Mickey Doherty, Phillip Devlin. They were told that there was no Gaelic football in the city, but they did not listen.

Recommended

"They planted the acorn. It was nurtured by people like BrÍd Kelly McElroy, Andy Barr Snr; they were told there was no Gaelic football in Derry city - they did not listen!

"To you, our coaches, administrators, parents, you nurtured us more. The oak tree grew, Gaelic football is alive in Derry city!

Advertisement

"It hasn't been easy. We faced serious adversity on the pitch. We'd never won or a league or a championship on our men's team. Now we have three. Finally, adversity wasn't just on the pitch, it was off it. We lost people that we loved. People like Charlene, people like Brian Óg McKeever.

"He's the true captain of this club. It should be him climbing these steps. He's the captain's captain. It wasn't to be, so instead we named our club after him, even though he was only 17-years-old - that's the type of man that he was.

"Tonight, everybody will know his name, and our club's name, because Dublin city belongs to Steelstown Brian Ógs!"

Advertisement

Steelstown captain's speech after GAA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship final

Advertisement

See Also: Colm O'Rourke Commends Ref For Handling Of Armagh/Tyrone Melee

steelstown captain neil forrester speech gaa all-ireland intermediate final

 

 

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement