Quirke: Lowry should receive Croke Park reception
All-Ireland winners Mike Quirke and Patrick Kelly believe the red carpet should be rolled out at Croke Park for Open Championship winner Shane Lowry.
Lowry, whose father Brendan was part of the Offaly side that halted Kerry’s five-in-a-row bid in 1982, has a well-documented love of Gaelic Games. Speaking on the Irish Examiner GAA Championship Podcast, in association with Renault Ireland, Quirke called for a Croke Park reception for the Offaly man.
“I think he’s one of those guys who is just universally loved in Ireland,” said Quirke.
At yesterday’s Super 8 matches in Croke Park, via a big screen, spectators were kept up to date with events at Portrush.
“It was mad in Croke Park yesterday. People were just delighted he was holding onto the lead,” Quirke said.
“Absolutely, he should be paraded out in the centre of Croke Park at half-time, or before one of these games, and allow the people there to show their appreciation for one of their own, and a GAA guy who has accomplished something that was just magic to watch.”
Former Cork star Kelly echoed Quirke’s calls for Lowry to be invited to GAA headquarters in the coming weeks. “It’d be a nice touch from the GAA to bring him into one of the big games; it’s the least he deserves, coming from a GAA background.”
GAA stars past and present tweeted their congratulations. Kieran Donaghy noted: “Never will there be a more popular winner of the @open. @ShaneLowryGolf has the common touch: great with the fans, down-to-earth and some golfer. Proud that we can call him our own.”
Never will there be a more popular winner of the @open. @ShaneLowryGolf has the common touch, great with the fans, down to earth and some golfer. Proud that we can call him our own. ☘️☘️☘️ #irisheyesaresmiling #whataday https://t.co/h2EAk7LKWE
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) July 21, 2019
Dublin selector Jason Sherlock said: “What a perfect setting for @ShaneLowryGolf to become Champion golfer of the year #TheOpen Such impressive play all week & touching words about his family #classact As for Clara,take the week off!”
What a perfect setting for @ShaneLowryGolf to become Champion golfer of the year #TheOpen Such impressive play all week & touching words about his family #classact As for Clara,take the week off! ☘️🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/yxaKNGVZop
— Jason Sherlock (@boomjayo) July 21, 2019
Also up for discussion on the Irish Examiner GAA Championship Podcast were the dummy team selections in Gaelic games and the plight of the club player negotiating an inter-county-focused calendar. Tune in on the Irish Examiner website, Soundcloud, and iTunes.
