Four years on and cancer-free: Eoin O'Sullivan ready for chance at All-Ireland glory

Cancer. That dreaded disease, the one that seems to affect us all.

Many of us are fortunate enough not to battle the disease. But if you are one of the lucky few, you know someone who has had to. Or you know someone who will.

Four years have gone by for Sarsfields’ Eoin O’Sullivan. Four years he has been melanoma-free. In that time, he’s married his wife Alanna, and now they have a daughter, Bláthnaid.

LUCKY

You might hear Eoin’s story and think, ‘how unfortunate’. But Eoin has a different perspective on that.

“Having gone through it, I consider myself lucky to be fit and healthy at the moment,” he says. "I know there are other people who are affected by it. A lot of it comes down to luck.

“I went on medication four and a half years ago; I came off it then just to see how things were and if everything had settled.

“I’m lucky enough now that nothing’s come back and I’m not on any medication. It’s just yearly scans. I’ve a really good consultant, Dr Derek Power.

“He’s actually a Midleton man – would have been shouting for Midleton in the county final last year and the semi-final this year. He lets me know that as well,” Eoin laughs. “But he’s excellent and I’m blessed to have him.” 

At the height of Eoin’s battle with cancer, All-Ireland hopes would have been the furthest thing from his mind. Now, as he prepares for the trip to Croker – cancer isn’t a thought on his mind. But it has changed how he views hurling.

“To get back playing was huge for me. 

I don’t think I would have got through what I got through without my family and support or without driving at hurling all the time.

“The opportunity to have a clear run at training and get yourself fit and healthy without any interruptions is brilliant,” Eoin explains. “You get a different appreciation for hurling that it’s there through thick and thin.

“The community of your club and friends around you, how important that is. Hurling is something greater than that.

“Someone texted me there a few weeks ago, just saying best of luck in the final, and that it’s a good story for me. But if you look at everyone on the panel, they all have adversity in their lives.

Everyone has something going on that’s tough and difficult.

“We all lean on our families, and we all lean then on the club and sport to get us through those times.

“Having the opportunity to achieve something then within that realm is definitely special. It’s just something you’d appreciate doing it with friends and with your family.” 

The adversity that this group has faced is well documented. But it is those challenges.

The struggles faced off the pitch.

Those challenges have made each member of that Sars panel the men they are today, and the brothers they will be tomorrow.

Storm Babet, ’23. The loss of the pitch in Riverstown. The temporary loss of a facility.

Hardly comparable with the loss of Teddy McCarthy, Eoin’s battle with melanoma, or Paul Leopold’s brush with a brain aneurysm.

Yet, it’s still played its part in building the unbreakable bond between these hurlers.

“This panel has been together now for the last few years with the same personnel. It’s just a great mix of character anyway first and foremost. It’s a group that really blends together.

“It was great to have access to facilities of other clubs, but it’s tough on guys having to travel to different locations, not just down the road to the local pitch.

“But lads have ended up carpooling then down with fellas, having more craic then in the car rather than just going to training yourself."

ENVIRONMENT

“I think every guy in the panel really cares about everyone else.

“If someone is going through something – it’s not like everyone’s coming down putting their hand around you every night, but having that environment, when you’re there with your friends. It’s a lovely environment to be in.” 

An environment, made up of different people, different struggles. Same goal.

All-Ireland glory on the biggest stage. For the pride of your club.

“I remember in 2008,” O’Sullivan explains. “We won the county, and we were playing Clonlara in the Munster quarter-final. I remember Pat Ryan and Bertie Óg [Murphy] saying; ‘if we win this game, we’ll win the All-Ireland.’ 

 “That didn’t happen. We beat Clonlara and lost narrowly to De La Salle in the semi-final. But reflecting now – how quick things can happen especially in the Munster and All-Ireland Championship, where you could be straight into a semi-final like we were this year.

“It’s an All-Ireland Senior Club Championship final; it’s the peak of your club career.

Many players who have won All-Irelands with their club and county value the club one more. 

"It’s one of the biggest games you can play in.

“Everyone’s main ambition is to just put Sars in a position to win an All-Ireland in Croke Park. It’s not for anyone to be man of the match, or anyone to make the Cork panel.

“We’re just delighted that the Sars jersey is going to be on the pitch for the All-Ireland club final.”