PHOTOS: Na Gaeil’s Kerry Minor Heroes Come Home To The Clubhouse

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Diarmuid O'Connor with his family, mom Mary Ellen, Brid, dad Kevin, Enda and Eilish at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

Diarmuid O’Connor with his family, mom Mary Ellen, Brid, dad Kevin, Enda and Eilish at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

THESE are halcyon days for Na Gaeil GAA Club.

The seniors were promoted from Division 4 and are now looking forward to a Junior championship final, the juvenile teams are going well and the ladies teams are no slouches in the success department in recent years.

And then there’s the minors.

This year, three players from the club – Stefan Okunbor, Ryan O’Neill and Diarmuid O’Connor – were on the Kerry minor panel that won the All-Ireland final, while another player, Niall O’Mahony, picked up a Minor B All-Ireland title with the Kerry minor hurlers.

On Friday night, the lads brought the Tommy Markham Cup to the clubhouse and there was a huge crowd of all ages there to greet it.

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Diarmuid O’Connor, who scored that opening goal in the All-Ireland final, was delighted to bring it home with his teammates.

“The club is where you start off and ever since I first went down to the pitch here I dreamed of playing in Croke Park. Winning something there is that dream come true,” he told TraleeToday.

And to have three of them up at headquarters that day was amazing?

“Oh yeah, it’s unbelievable. It just shows the hard work the trainers and coaches from the club have been putting in and the club is going from strength to strength. It’s great really.”

The seniors aren’t doing too bad either.

“Yeah, the seniors also had a fine win against Listowel last weekend and are looking forward to a final against Glenbeigh. Hopefully they can go on and win that now,” said Diarmuid, who is a bit too young yet to help them out in that one, although Stefan is involved in the side vying for silverware.

The positive position in which the club is in was echoed by its PRO, Michael Herlihy.

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“We’re riding on the crest of a wave at the moment because we have so many minor medals. We’re one of only three clubs where players were involved in all three All-Ireland minor finals, so that’s fantastic really. Andrew Barry won a junior All-Ireland medal as well this year and his brother Jack won the Sigerson Cup. Niall O’Mahony won a Minor B All-Ireland Hurling medal so everything is going well in the club. It’s testament to the underage structure over the last ten years in the club, it’s all coming to fruition now. It’s a great boost for the club and a great boost for the senior team going on to the county junior final,” said Michael.

It really is a golden age for Na Gaeil and hopefully we’ll see these minor heroes on the big stage again in a few years. Best of luck to the seniors whenever they get to play their final. Scroll down for photos…

Alan O'Neill, Tim Kelliher, Ryan O'Neill, Timmy Sugrue, Philip Dewey, Niall O'Mahony, Denis Moriarty, Diarmuid O'Connor, Time Lynch and Kevin Murphy at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

Alan O’Neill, Tim Kelliher, Ryan O’Neill, Timmy Sugrue, Philip Dewey, Niall O’Mahony, Denis Moriarty, Diarmuid O’Connor, Time Lynch and Kevin Murphy at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Young Shane O'Donovan meets Kerry minors Ryan O'Neill and Diarmuid O'Connor at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

Young Shane O’Donovan meets Kerry minors Ryan O’Neill and Diarmuid O’Connor at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Ava Dewey with Diarmuid O'Connor at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

Ava Dewey with Diarmuid O’Connor at the Na Gaeil GAA Clubhouse on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

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