New York hurlers' winter grind rewarded with Croke Park final

New York's forward line for their Nickey Rackard Cup final against Tyrone will include Johnny Glynn, Bill Maher, and Seán O'Leary Hayes

Adam Loughlin Stones, brother of Westmeath footballer, Luke Loughlin will line out for New York in this weekend's Nickey Rackard Cup final at Croke Park. Pic: Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

They're expecting temperatures to nudge into the 20s again for the Nickey Rackard Cup final on Saturday afternoon.

When Adam Loughlin Stones and the New York hurlers first started their preparations for this competition, it was all about trying to cope with the deep winter chill. Temperatures dipped below zero in New York on 22 of the nights throughout January, with a low of -13 at one stage.

"There were a couple of weekends in particular of really bad snow," recalled Loughlin Stones. "They managed to clear it in Gaelic Park but there could have been six, maybe seven feet of snow around the sides of the pitch some nights."

And if New York hadn't beaten Mayo in last weekend's Rackard Cup semi-final, their first competitive game of 2026 following challenge matches against Boston and San Francisco selections, that would have been that. One and done. Now that's commitment.

"It is, but you know yourself, you'd be giving out about the weather and the snow, but you'd be giving out worse if you weren't allowed to do it! You just get on with it," reasoned the Westmeath man.

Loughlin Stones played at midfield in last year's Lory Meagher Cup final win over Cavan. New York only returned to Championship fare here in 2025 after a 19-year gap. They're probably a little too strong for the Rackard Cup too, in all honesty.

Earlier this week, on Dalo's Hurling Show, Anthony Daly named out the New York forwards from the Mayo game last Sunday and ended up chuckling.

He started with AJ Willis, who scored 3-4 against Mayo who 'would have been a minor with Tipp, from Portroe'.

"Johnny Glynn full-forward!" continued Daly, referencing the man-mountain attacker from Galway's 2017 All-Ireland win. "Conor Hammersley, Thomas 'Tonto' Douglas from Waterford, Bill Maher from Tipp, Brian McPartland from Doon, Sean O'Leary Hayes from Midleton. It's a bit stacked, isn't it?!"

Johnny Glynn of New York in action against Enda Shalvey of Cavan during the 2025 Lory Meagher Cup final. Pic: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Certainly too strong for a Mayo side that finished second in the Rackard Cup group stage, only losing to Tyrone, who New York will face at Croke Park this weekend.

"Last year, I think that was a thing, there was a lot made out of that," acknowledged Loughlin Stones of the debate over what competition New York should compete in.

"We would have been told we were too strong for the Lory Meagher but sure you have to start somewhere. Then we can work our way upwards and hopefully find our level."

If you caught a glimpse of New York's win over Mayo in Longford last weekend, you'd have been impressed by Loughlin Stones' terrific catch and assist for the first Willis goal.

And if you're particularly tuned in, you might even know that he is the younger brother of Westmeath footballer Luke Loughlin.

Luke is currently recovering from the hamstring operation that ruled him out of Westmeath's landmark Leinster SFC final win over Dublin last Sunday week.

"I wasn't home for that," said 27-year-old Adam. "I was raging I didn't change my flights to get home a few days early."

That's the life of an Exile, which Adam has been living since 2019. Luke lived it for a while himself, even playing for New York in the Connacht SFC. The older Loughlin has talked openly since about his battles with various addictions. A specimen of fitness these days, he is considered to be among the game's elite forwards.

"He's flying, fair play to him," said Adam, a product of The Downs and Clonkill clubs in Westmeath. "He's a great inspiration to everyone, people who might have their own issues going on."