Luke Casey: Playing senior football for Aghabullogue is crazy, it's unbelievable

Luke Casey had a busy few days but a very successful one.

Last Wednesday, he scored the only goal for the Republic of Ireland Amateur team in a friendly win over an FAI ETB XI at Home Farm.

Then on Sunday, the Garda landed 1-3, all from play, in Aghabullogue’s 2-12 to 2-11 triumph over Muskerry rivals Uibh Laoire in the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

They move up to the senior football ranks for the first time.

“I’m just delighted for everyone, all the backroom team, all the committee, all the people from the parish, it’s just unbelievable,” the sharpshooter said post-match.

“I didn’t train on Tuesday. I just did a light session and then had a soccer game on Wednesday up in Dublin. I trained again on Thursday.

“I was hoping it was the start of a good week and look in the end it was. We’ll enjoy this now and we’ll look forward to the Munster next weekend and give a right rattle off that.

“We’ve nothing to lose going up to Tipperary. Then we will look forward to the hurling final the weekend after that. Hopefully we’ll be busy for another few months.

“This year has been one of the best sporting years ever. If you ask the players who also play hurling and soccer, they’ll say the same thing." 

Casey was introduced late on and scored a free in the 2023 IAFC final win over Mitchelstown. He played a central role in this decider, and not just this one, but throughout the year.

“I’d say I’ve been here [SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh] five times, but it’s only my second or third time starting here,” Casey says.

SHOWCASE

“Playing in an arena like this, probably the second or third best stadium in the country. To be able to showcase our skills inside here, you’re training all year out in the muck and rain and you come in here then and showcase your skills in front of people.

“That’s what you want and to show that team effort that we have inside in this arena is unbelievable. You see the crowd that we have. They follow us everywhere. It’s just a real community thing. The village gets behind all of us.” 

Aghabullogue had to do it the hard way to get over the line. They looked in bother at various points of the game, but came good when the need was greatest. The experience of being in the final last year most certainly helped them. 

There were also emotional scenes after the game. Aghabullogue corner-back Dhani Merrick lost his wife Kerry to cancer last month.

“The character can never be questioned because some of the things that people have been through in that dressing room over the last few weeks, there’s character oozing through them.

“Even when it was level, we turned over the ball twice but we got it back twice and we kicked the winning point from that. It’s just unbelievable. I can’t explain it.

Senior football for a village like ours is crazy.” 

Aghabullogue now go into the Munster series where they will play Thurles Sarsfields on Sunday in the AIB Munster Club IFC quarter-final in Templetuohy with throw-in at 1.30pm.