Sciath na Scol finals a unique experience

The celebrations for the victorious side were wild; hurleys fired into the air and hugs all round.

Meanwhile, one team fell to their knees, their dreams shattered. This day, as sacred as – if not more sacred than – an All-Ireland final for some, an experience that these players will forever remember and cherish.

That is what the Sciath na Scol means. For the select few who happen to play on the grass that Christy Ring and many greats have played on before, this is one of the biggest days of their life.

Last Wednesday morning, I had the privilege of going to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to support my former primary school, Scoil Eoin from Innishannon, and watch my younger brother Cormac play in a final. Days like these don’t come around too often for any school, and it is a credit to the organisers who run 29 finals over six days so efficiently, to give these young stars the experience of playing at The Páirc, an opportunity not to take for granted.

From the moment you leave your car outside the ground, you can sense the atmosphere of excitement you are entering. Walking into the stadium, with the first match of the day already started, cheers from supporters rang around the stadium. From the noise outside, you would think that more people were present than for the Cork-Waterford clash the Sunday before. This match was like a game of ping-pong or tennis, with goal after goal, a trend continuing until the referee sounded the final whistle, and the winning supporters cheered in anticipation of “No homework!”.

Players from Innishannon and Glanmire’s GS Uí Driscoeil lined up as if they were meeting Uachtarán na hÉireann before the biggest day of the GAA calendar, each player introduced and saluting the large crowd, greeted with a large cheer.

Unfortunately for Innishannon, they faced an uphill battle from the start with the concession of an early goal, but certainly could not be faulted for the character and effort shown on the field. The performances of many players for the Glanmire side were simply outstanding, particularly Luke de Paor and their captaen, Ruairí Ó Dáibhís.

Once the medals had been collected and the players shook hands with each other, both teams quickly left the beautiful sod – the thing about Sciath is that there’s always another big final to be played.

They were greeted by parents and family members, who congratulated and commiserated.

While Scoil Eoin were disappointed in defeat, qualifying for the final was an achievement in itself and an honour for the players of sixth class to play at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as they represented their school crest for the final time. The treat of Supermac’s and ice cream on the way home was a worthy acknowledgement of this!

It was a great privilege to have the opportunity to attend an event with an atmosphere like no other and nice to see many familiar faces again. The school principal, Carol Ní Chuimín, was delighted to see many past pupils out supporting their alma mater and family members.

It was great to see the work of many teachers in so many schools pay off by qualifying for the big day in the Páirc and it’s certainly hard to beat the atmosphere at a good game of hurling!