Glen come of age at headquarters as long journey ends

When Malachy O’Rourke steps out onto Croke Park for the All-Ireland final as manager of the Watty Grahams, Glen club it is the end of a journey that began over 30 years ago

HISTORY MAKERS: Eunan Mulholland of Glen with the cup after the AIB Ulster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Final. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

When Malachy O’Rourke steps out onto the Croke Park pitch for the All-Ireland final as manager of the Watty Grahams, Glen club against Kilmacud Crokes, it is the end of a journey that began over 30 years ago.

As a student in St Mary’s Teaching College, then known as ‘The Ranch’, his class were a tight group of just 12 PE students. One of them was Bronagh Kelly, later to become Mulholland. While Malachy and the likes of Jarlath Burns, Cathal Murray and Pascal Canavan were engaged in the heavy training that it took to win the 1989 Sigerson Cup, assignments fell behind.