Tony Golden had a passion for hurling that never waned

As a young garda on his first assignment stationed in Cabinteely in south Dublin, Tony Golden had all the attractions of big city night life and entertainment on his doorstep, but nothing could beat for him the thrill of the hurling pitch in his native Ballina.

Tommy Lyons, who was manager of Ballina Stephenites when they won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championships in 2005 with Tony’s brother, Kenneth at corner back, remembers Tony as a talented hurler, driven as much by passion as skill. “He used to work the night shift in Dublin the night before and arrive home in the morning time to play hurling for the club. That was his commitment to the club.”

With marriage and children, he’d given up the cross-country commutes for the weekend training sessions but his love of the GAA never waned. “He’d have had the young fellow playing before long, I’m sure of it,” said Tommy of Tony’s toddler son, Andrew. “His love was of the red and green of Ballina and Mayo.”