Donal Lenihan: Locked in a lifelong friendship with Jerry Holland. Rest easy, dear friend.

Teammates, rivals and great friends, Donal Lenihan pays tribute to Jerry Holland. 

OLD FRIENDS: Donal Lenihan and Jerry Holland take in an AIL game at Temple Hill. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile 

Sport enriches our lives in so many ways. For all the memorable triumphs and personal milestones that mark the journey, there are far more days of heartache and disappointment.

What you don’t appreciate at the time is that, while the medals and personal achievements are great and help fuel the drive to compete at the height of your powers, it’s the relationships forged at the coalface, throughout those shared experiences, that represent the true reward. The medals and caps sit in a drawer somewhere. The bonds forged in the heat of battle are far more tangible.