'We're actually living the dream': Cawley keen to make good on latest Croker chance

AIB ambassador Finnian Cawley (Easkey). Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Ask Easkey joint-captain Finnian Cawley what his most vivid memories of Croke Park are and he's sure to mention the 2023 All-Ireland Club JHC final loss to Cork's Ballygiblin. 

Cawley and Co. are back at GAA HQ this weekend, having dominated both the Sligo and Connacht scenes for some time, with plans to right a few of the wrongs from three years ago.

A trip up the Hogan Stand to lift silverware didn't occur that day, but Saturday's clash with another fancied Cork outfit, Kilbrittain, has Cawley looking back over fond Croker memories and dreaming once more. 

"For me, a special childhood memory was watching the likes of Portumna on St. Patrick's Day winning those couple of All-Irelands, watching the likes of Joe Canning," said Cawley. "I remember sitting down as a young fella watching that with my dad and then going out and being like: 'How amazing would that be for me to climb the steps of the Hogan?'

"I don't think not too many Sligo men have had the privilege of doing. That's been a huge motivation for me. 

"You can have nothing but gratitude. I'm extremely grateful to be able to do that (play at Croke Park) and not do it once but do it twice with your local club and your best friends. 

"That's what every young lad and every young girl in this country dreams of. We're actually living the dream which is what it's all about."

With the majority of this Padraig Mannion-managed Easkey team having graced the Croker turf on that 2023 day, the initial awe of the venue shouldn't be too much of a factor. 

However, an influx of new faces into the panel in the time since passed means there is a job to do for the more experienced members of the Easkey camp. 

It's less about preparing for the opposition, and more about fine-tuning the mind for the big occasion. 

"To go on Kilbrittain, they're a fantastic side. We have the utmost respect for them," the 28-year-old said. "Any team that comes out of Cork and any team that comes out of Munster are extremely strong and we know the challenge that lies ahead of us. That's not lost on us. 

"For us with the young lads - like myself, Andy (Kilcullen), Rory (McHugh), the more experienced campaigners - it's about getting the lads to understand that it's a great opportunity and it's there to be enjoyed."

Cawley continued: "I have this kind of saying it's perception versus perspective.

"The perception straight away would be like 'oh, it's a big occasion, what if I make a mistake, what if I mess up' whereas perspective is, you get to walk out in probably the mecca of stadiums in the country. 

"I call it the mecca anyway, one of the best stadiums in the world. 

"It's more so coming from a mindset of gratitude rather than anxiety or future thinking and it's about getting the young lads to buy into process over outcome where it's not about the outcome at the end of the day. 

"It's about if you stick to your metrics or your key performance targets, like your efforts, your work rate, your hooks, your blocks, your tackles. 

"The resultant scoreline takes care of itself after that. That's our main focus and our main messaging to the young lads this week."

So what if joint-captains Cawley and McHugh do end up climbing the Hogan and lifting silverware come 4.30pm on Saturday evening? 

While school teacher Cawley is keen to emphasise the challenge that stands in front of them, he does dare to dream of bringing an All-Ireland cup back to Connacht, Sligo and Easkey. 

"It would be utter madness, utter madness," Cawley added. "I'm joint captain with Rory and to be able to do that, bring an All-Ireland cup west of the Shannon, it would be outrageous.

"It's obviously a dream but there's a lot of stuff that has to go right and a lot of stuff that we have to do to be able to go over the challenge of Kilbrittain.

"They're a fantastic side and they'll be looking to do the same and are obviously dreaming as well, but it would mean the world for a lot of fabulous people in our club."