DAVID BRADY: Our toughest and hardest London trip

Without a doubt it was playing London in 1996.

It was the first round of the Connacht Championship.

We met on the Friday evening and trained for three to four hours in Dublin. We got the plane to London, got off the plane and trained for another hour in searing heat.

On Saturday, we had a two-hour session again in searing heat.

Prior to playing the game on Sunday we had a light session again in searing heat. Played the game in London, got out by the skin of our teeth, headed back to the hotel where we were staying, exhausted, fatigued, and John Maughan had us out training for two hours back in Dublin on the Monday morning.

It was the toughest and hardest journey to and from a championship game.

It ended up with Anthony Finnerty on his hands and knees when the last run was about to start, and he physically had to be lifted by a couple of lads for the entirety of the last run.

Not alone was he exhausted, he probably exerted himself on the top of the piano the night before doing an oul Irish dance.

That was a long journey, a hard journey and unforgettable journey.