Not all heroes wear capes.
Not all of them even wear shorts. Just ask the Dormintee lads when some committee men lined out for the club in the senior championship against Crossmaglen just to fulfill the fixture.
People will do anything to save their clubs and upholding competitive games is more important than some of the young lads would appreciate given the fines and sanctions and possible suspensions that come with no-shows.
That’s just as vital at reserve level and, in Donegal, they have as much pride and love for their club as anywhere.
On Sunday, Four Masters went down to Glenties by 15 points in the Donegal Senior Reserve Football Championship but that wasn’t the story at all. They almost didn’t field when the club had just 14 players before the game.
Luckily for Four Masters, they had a stalwart they could turn to. They had a club man to the very core who was willing to step up and save the day. They had Eamonn Gorrell, 55 years young.
The club stalwart helped out by throwing on the Four Masters jersey again – 30 years after he last did so – and he manned the goals for his club as they fulfilled their fixture and protected the future.
As Conor Breslin put it, Gorrell is a true GAA man.
“It is often said that the true love and passion for one’s club today is non existent but that truly was not the case in Sunday’s senior reserve championship match for Four Masters,” Breslin recounted.
“The team arrived to play a favourable and dominant Glenties team with only 14 men. They needed one more man to make the final puzzle of a team.
“With that they turned to 55-year-old club legend Eamonn Gorrell who last wore the jersey of his beloved Four Masters club in 1987. He is one often sited these days at all club games. Eamonn played in 4 senior county finals in his hay day between 1981 and 1985 as the slippery and skillful corner forward, however was resorted to the goalmouth for this one as he took up the number 1 jersey, becoming the oldest player to play for the club.
“While many people like to call themselves die hard four master men, Eamonn is a former player, secretary, coach and chairman of the club. He is a true GAA man who shows that age is really only a number.”
What a man. What a Gael.
Time seems to be merely an abstract concept in Donegal anyway. Just last year, at 43, Stephen Gildea scored this absolute peach for Ardara, captured brilliantly by Frank Craig.
Stephen Gildea, 43 years old, showing class is permanent! pic.twitter.com/tFubu5ndob
— Frank Craig (@FrankCraig13) October 16, 2016
It must be that Atlantic ocean.
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