Na Fianna's Paul O’Dea relishes victory on old stomping ground

He was a key part of a Na Fianna defence that completely shut down the Sars attack.

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025 - 07:12

Eoghan Cormican

Paul O’Dea lives a 10-minute walk from Croker. As a young lad, he used to do ball boy behind either goal. If not throwing back out sliotars, he was helping to roll out the red carpet on the more important Sundays.

O’Dea spent several St Patricks' Days inside in Croke Park on ball boy duty. His duty for this latest All-Ireland club final afternoon was a great deal different, but no less enjoyable.

Part of a Na Fianna defence that completely shut down the Sars attack, most especially in an opening 20 minutes where the Cork side could only manage a solitary point from play, O’Dea also got forward to write his name onto the scoresheet.

“It is just great to deliver that kind of performance in Croker,” said the half-back.

“Growing up, you are looking at Croker your whole life. To come in here and get a performance on our sacred ground is just the stuff of dreams.

“I used to do ball boy and the red carpet when I was younger, I definitely did a few club finals. It was a free ticket in and we might have taken a few balls while we were at it!

“Coming out to that roar at the start, again at half-time, and at full-time was incredible.”

The journey back to celebrate with their own people was a short one. From Jones Road to Clonliffe Road, to Drumcondra Road, to Iona Road, to Botanic Road, and finally onto Mobhi Road.

“The crowd are just incredible. I know we are going back at 5pm or 6pm to around 3,000 people.”

Na Fianna's season up to yesterday had been about their finishes. Yesterday was all about their start.

“We've been notoriously bad starters in every game so far. We just talked the last five weeks about getting that start. It made it easier as the game went on that we were so hungry at the start.

“The forwards are unbelievable, the pace of them. I wouldn't want to mark them. Once they got the ball, they were electric.”