REWIND BACK 13 years and you’ll find Colm Begley’s last Leinster final experience.
Fresh out of the minor ranks, pitched in at wing-back and pipped by Dublin by a point.
It was the third Leinster decider outing in a row for Laois, a major provincial presence at the time.
Two years later they renewed acquaintances with Dublin at the same stage, but Begley was in Brisbane pursuing a different sporting career by then.
He was back in the Laois ranks by 2010 but it has been a long and arduous wait for Laois to return to the showpiece of Leinster football. Next Sunday they will end that barren spell.
“2005 was my last year, we lost to Dublin by a point in that one,” recalls Begley.
“Then I went off to Australia after that. That was a gut-wrenching experience before I left.
“You definitely appreciate it. You often (wonder) when you get to the latter stages of your career will you get a chance again to play in Croke Park because that’s one of the reasons why you play the game.
“And then will you get a chance again to play in a Leinster Final or a competitive game later on in the All-Ireland Final series?
“The last one was the quarter-final against Dublin a few years back. Any time you get a chance to play in one of these games, it’s an amazing buzz.
“In fairness to Laois supporters, they haven’t had much to be supportive of over the last few years.
“Everyone’s very excited, the flags are up, the crowds are out, kids are coming (to) training. I’m very much trying to enjoy it and soak it in.
“There’s nothing like the parade on Leinster Final day, especially with Dubs fans roaring and shouting from the Hill.”
He was on the other side of the world in 2007 but Begley harbours no regrets about sampling the Aussie Rules experience.
“Very positive, I wouldn’t have changed it. I’d recommend it to other players if they were in the situation too and they asked me would our wouldn’t you go over again.
“If I felt it was right for them I would (encourage them to go). But, for me, it developed a lot of different things. I learned a lot from the experience over there. How to train at a high level.
“Now, at the moment, in the last few years, that’s been developing over here in Ireland with our S&C coaches getting involved.
“Even to live over in Melbourne and Brisbane for the four years I was over there was a fantastic experience. Got a bit of colour on me as well when I was over there as well!”
He still keeps a close eye on the action unfolding in the sport and particularly the exploits of another Laois native, Zach Tuohy.
“Consecutive games, he had the record there. That’s unbelievable, especially with the AFL game the way it is now, so high-paced and with heavy collisions. To have no injuries and play through is huge.
“I’m massively honoured to have a player from Laois over there doing that. Not only is he doing it, he’s doing it at a high level. Geelong are a quality team and he’s one of their most important players at the moment.
“He’s on the up and up and I’m very happy to see him doing so well. He’s a big loss for us, but, look, couldn’t wish him any better.”
Begley has been at the heart of a remarkable metamorphosis in the fortunes of Laois over the past twelve months.
From league relegation and a couple of championship humblings at the hands of Kildare and Clare in 2017, to a 2018 season that has yielded promotion and a string of provincial victories.
“You can’t really put your finger on it, it’s been a combination of a lot of things,” says Begley.
“The management have done a very good job this year. The backroom team, what they’ve implemented, as regards S&C, that’s been very, very good.
They’ve also probably unified the system of play we want to play and tested it out with a lot of players in the league.
“Winning helps a lot as well,it creates a bit of a habit. If you look back on Peter Creedon’s year I think we lost four League games in Division Three by one or two points.
“And we had 14 men after 20 minutes in most of them. If you get a man sent off, it doesn’t matter if it’s in Division Four or Division One, then if the opposition team is well-structured then you’re in trouble because they use that extra man to such good effect. That’s what I believe was behind it.”
The belief in their capacity to perform never strayed from Begley’s mind. Days kicking ball in DCU and being immersed in the capital club scene with Parnells, mean he is well educated on the capabilities of this Dublin team.
“We have to be realistic, we have only played Division Three and Division Four teams so far, but when we’ve played them we’ve beaten them so we deserve to be in the final.
“They’re very well set up, very strong players. Not only are they good footballers, but they’re also hard in the way they defend and the way they play.
“We believe we can be very competitive. I honestly believe that. It’s a horrible cliche about Laois, but Laois have had great footballers and it’s never really happened for them. But I always thought we had fantastic footballers. Sometimes you could tell why it wasn’t happening for us and sometimes you couldn’t.
“I’m delighted to be a part of a group where you have young players coming through that are the future of Laois football.
“If I can have some influence on them as individuals and as a group both on and off the field, then that’s very exciting for me. It’s given me a new lease of life as regards my footballing career.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
