'Volunteerism is dying across society. Without it, we’re goosed’

Fixture rearrangements are an unavoidable hazard of sporting life. More often than not it’s the weather that disrupts.

Sometimes a few drawn games can slow down a competition’s progress. Or maybe a representative goes further than expected and club games have to be pushed back a couple of weeks.

But a 16-week delay? And for a national cup final?

James ‘Chalky’ Walsh, one the best known junior footballers in the country over the last 20 years, is now manager of his beloved St Michael’s AFC. He tries to make sense of thedebacle around this year’s FAIJunior Cup final.

“We basically got 48 hours notice that the game was off. We were to play in the Aviva on the Saturday evening, May 11 I think it was, but an appeal went in from Aisling Annacotty on the preceding Thursday afternoon.

“It was very disappointing as we had all our arrangements already made. We had our own train booked to travel up with 400 or 500 supporters on it. Buses and transfers sorted. All paid for. The next thing we know, it’s off.”

While St Michael’s had been quietly going about their business, beating Donegal outfit Glengad 2-0 in their semi-final tie, havoc had broken out on the other side of the draw.

Both beaten quarter-finalists, Westport United and Sheriff YC, had lodged appeals against their defeats at the hands of Limerick sides Aisling Annacotty and Regional United, respectively.

While Westport proved unsuccessful, Sheriff had their result overturned and were reinstated at the expense of Regional.

But the drama didn’t end there.

Following a 1-0 defeat away to Sheriff in the semi-final, a fixture for which they were given just 48 hours notice, Aisling Annacotty then launched their own appeal against the result, citing multiple objections in relation to the tie.

While their actions ultimately proved fruitless, the process became a drawn-out affair. The final was put on the long, long finger and when eventually pencilled in, could no longer be hosted at Aviva Stadium. Eamonn Deasy Park in Galway was confirmed as the new venue.

Walsh though, is not interested in cribbing about how things played out.

“The reality is that whether it’s in the Aviva or in Cork, Donegal, or Galway, it’s an FAI Junior Cup final, and it’s there to be won.

“We trained on the Sunday morning, the day after the original final was supposed to be played. And yeah, we had our few moans and did a bit of giving out. But we were playing Pike Rovers in a Munster Junior Cup final the following Saturday so that gave us something to refocus on.

“As for the FAI Junior Cup final, it just became a case of ‘let us know when the appeal process is done and where the final will be on and we’ll be there’. We’ve kept our mouths shut since then and just got on with things.”

As a player, Walsh has a storied history with the tournament. The pain of four final defeats came and went before he finally got his hands on the most prestigious trophy in junior football. In 2014, Michael’s beat Ballymanty Rovers, in the Aviva Stadium, to lift the cup for the first time since 1974.

Since stepping into the managerial role in 2015, the Tipperary town outfit have continued to dominate locally, winning the last four Tipperary Southern & District League titles, along with three local cups and two Munster Junior Cups.

The former junior international, capped no less than 80 times, is tremendously proud of the club and is bullish about what he believes has been the driving force behind their sustained success — volunteerism.

“Volunteerism is dying. It’s dying a death across all levels of society. I look back at my beginnings and how lucky I was that somebody gave up their time to coach me, to train me. Without it, we’re goosed.

“I drive from my house in Carlow to Tipp town three days a week, a 90-minute drive each way, but I don’t take one penny from the club for it, nor would I want it. How could I when we have lads like Jimmy Tobin (70) and Brendan Lonergan (62) who will sit on a seat outside SuperValu and the Bank of Ireland on a Thursday or Friday selling lotto tickets to fund the club. I couldn’t do that.

“I look at our committee stalwarts — Tom Finnan, Davey Hassett, Ray Lonergan, Jamsie O’Reilly — without these people, the club doesn’t exist.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m pontificating. I’m lucky, I have a decent job so can afford to travel up and down. And I’m aware lifestyles can take over and other life challenges can get in the way and that’s fine. But I do think it’s vital that we try to give back, if we can at all.”

Walsh is not shy about making sure other players stay involved in the club, citing their standout centre-half Paul Breen as a player healready has plans for.

I have him earmarked. I’ve told him I’ll knock him out if he doesn’t give back to the club when he wraps up playing. Because he was a rusty, awkward player when he came into the club and they put energy and effort into him to help him transform into the brilliant centre-back he became.

"So now when he finishes up playing he needs to give back to the club, from a voluntary perspective.”

Sheriff, by Walsh’s own admission, have been the kingpins of Irish junior football over the last decade.

Historically though, there has been very little between the two sides.

Their last clash in this competition, a 2015 quarter-final, required penalties before the Dublin side emerged on top. Bookmakers, a normally reliable barometer of the expected margins in a game, have acted accordingly, pricing up both sides at identical odds.

The 2019 FAI Junior Cup final may be set to take a place on a very different date and at a very different venue than originally anticipated but if Walsh’s side emerge on top then the joy felt, by those on and off the pitch, will unquestionably be none the lesser.

St Michael’s AFC v Sheriff YC,Eamonn Deasy Park, Galway,tomorrow, 2pm.