Seánie torn between his son and the sliotar
The legendary ex-Cork hurler was faced with an agonising choice this weekend. Should he, as a Cork selector, be in Thurles on Sunday to help the Rebels take on Waterford in the Munster Hurling final?
Or, should he be in Glasgow supporting his son Tomás, who lines out at scrum-half on the Ireland U21 rugby team against New Zealand in the World Cup final a mere 15 minutes after the throw-in in Thurles?
During his playing days in the 1970s and 1980s, Cork's ace goal-poacher had the knack of being in the right place at the right time but being in two different places at the same time is another proposition entirely.
'What should Seánie do?' was a hot topic around Cork yesterday.
"This is a Munster hurling final in front of 53,000 people," said lifelong Cork GAA fan Anthony Sheahan. "There is nothing bigger in Cork than hurling. Seánie is a selector, right-hand man to Donal O'Grady, you can't just walk away from that."
Rugby fan Willy Neiland took a different position.
"He should be with his son. How often do you get to play in a World Cup final? Cork get to the Munster final practically every year and even if they lose, they're still in it. There are more doors into the All-Ireland Championship than there are into heaven."
Seánie was reluctant to comment yesterday but it emerged he had chosen to travel to Thurles while his wife goes to Scotland to support their son.
Tomás, speaking from Glasgow, completely understood his father's decision.
"That's the way the cookie crumbles. My Dad has his own commitments and he has to honour them. It's a pity the clash has happened but it can't be helped."
Tomás is an exciting rugby prospect and the Cork Con man's form at the base of the scrum has been instrumental in Ireland's progress to their first U21 World Cup final.
"It's gone well for me, I've been happy with my form. It's a tough competition but we have prepared well and we'll be ready for New Zealand on Sunday."
Seánie is known to be very supportive of his son's rugby career. He is in constant contact with Tomás and was in Glasgow on Wednesday for the semi-final win over Australia. However, just as the loss of Setanta Ó hAilpín to Australian Rules continues to be mourned, there are many Cork fans who believe O'Leary would have been playing in Thurles on Sunday had he not switched codes a few years ago.
He showed all the signs when hurling underage with Erins Own and captained Cork to All-Ireland minor success in 2001. "Tomás was an outstanding hurler," recalls Tom Aherne of Erins Own. "A match turner, he had speed and strength and was a prolific scorer. I have no doubt he would be playing in Thurles on Sunday had he stayed in hurling."
The prospect of a professional rugby career is luring many promising hurlers and footballers away from the GAA, a concern within the Association, but O'Leary has no regrets.
"That was the decision I made and, while I love hurling, I think it was the right one," said O'Leary.
The scouts are out in force in Scotland and, while O'Leary may not have the myriad of opportunities facing English soccer's assassin-faced baby Wayne Rooney, he is in the shop window.
"I am in the Irish Academy and playing for Cork Con but what I want is a full-time career in rugby, so if an offer came in that I liked, I would jump at it," he said.
The O'Leary's will be hoping for a Cork-Ireland double on Sunday but although Seánie would love to be in Glasgow, he can be assured that there should be many more big days in the future when he can watch his son do him proud.
