Pictured is AIB ambassador Fergal Boland (Tooreen) ahead of the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland intermediate club championship final between Tooreen and Upperchurch Drombane. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Road to Croker
Fergal Boland: 'Half of the Mayo lads think I'm mad in the head playing hurling!'
Mayo footballer seeking All-Ireland club hurling title with his beloved Tooreen.
FERGAL BOLAND IS best known as a Mayo footballer, but he’s gearing up for another All-Ireland hurling final.
Boland returns to Croke Park with his beloved Tooreen on Saturday evening, facing Tipperary’s Upperchurch-Drombane in the intermediate decider and seeking redemption for defeat to Monaleen of Limerick in 2023.
“It’s unbelievable,” says Boland. “Three years ago when we got to play in Croke Park, you think it might be the only time, but to get the second opportunity to run out with your club in Croke Park is unbelievable.
“I remember back in ’23, it was probably the proudest day of my life walking out in Croke Park with my teammates and best friends and brother (Shane).
“To get to do that again…I know other clubs aren’t as lucky as that, so I’m hugely grateful for it. But obviously we want to go up and do a job Saturday evening. We just don’t want to show up and take part.”
Tooreen have travelled a long road since 2017. They have won six Connacht championships in eight years, but have experienced their fair share of heartbreak.
That All-Ireland defeat to Monaleen stung as they were pipped down the stretch, while there have been several narrow semi-final losses. So close yet so far.
Many will feel this is D-Day, but Boland and the Tooreen group are keeping an even keel.
Boland (11) and Tooreen running out on Croke Park in 2023. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
“When you get to an All-Ireland final, you’re always trying to deliver. We’re trying to not think of it too much as a burden but as an opportunity to perform on the big day. There’s going to be life after this as well.
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“We feel as a group we’ve been through an awful lot together. We don’t dwell on our defeats too much. (2023) was the first time the club got to Croke Park so that was huge for the club. The experience of the day as a whole will hopefully give us another percent or two, but it’s not going to get us over the line. We still have to go out and perform.”
While the team will focus on that, the community can get carried away. The buzz around the locality is palpable, excitement building for the return to GAA HQ.
“It’s a sea of blue and white down in the village at the minute,” smiles Boland. “We had a meet and greet last Sunday with all the kids and it was great to see all the people out, all the young kids out. They’re just hugely invested in hurling. It’s crazy.
“People think we’re stone mad down there, but everyone just loves their hurling. It’s what everyone talks about. We’ve no shop or no pub at the minute in Tooreen, it’s only the hurling pitch and the school and the church. It’s the centre of the community. Even on the bad days, people are going to the wall, meeting up, pucking and obviously on the good days, it has made the Christmas and the winter a lot shorter.”
In action for Mayo last year. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
While Mayo is football country, hurling has grown more and more. Tooreen have played their part in that, along with Ballyhaunis.
Small ball dominates in a pocket in the east of the county.
“Hurling in Mayo, we’re very much within the club. It’s all about our community. We’re not too bothered if people from other outside counties respect us or disrespect the hurling in Mayo. It’s all about our community and giving back to our volunteers and everyone and trying to make them proud. They’re the people that are most important to us.
“I suppose if you go anywhere in Ireland, the majority of people will know Tooreen hurling club or Ballyhaunis hurling club across the road. Hurling is a huge part of our identity and a huge part of our life in Mayo.”
That rings true with each and every word Boland utters.
The dual player appears to be a dying breed, but the 30-year-old will keep flying the flag.
“To be honest, I love it. I know it can be tough on the body at times. You need good management teams working together to give you rest days. But I love it.
“You could be going out there playing a football championship game on a Saturday evening and then we could be going down the road to Clare or Galway playing a hurling championship game on a Monday or Tuesday evening. Whether you play good or bad in one game, you have another game coming 24 hours later.
“I find it, to be honest, a great release for each other. They’re a nice reset and I think they keep the freshness in both sports. You’re not worn out with the one sport, you’re over and back and it keeps you mentally fresh as well in both senses.”
His club hurling hat is firmly on on the Road to Croker, but Mayo football is never far from Boland’s thoughts.
Mayo boss Andy Moran. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Indeed, he scored that superb point against Donegal last June that looked to have kept Mayo’s season alive, but Ciarán Moore knocked them out seconds later.
It has been a winter of change out west with Andy Moran taking the reins, and Boland is enthused by the new era.
“It’s really exciting. I’ve done a bit of training over the last few weeks and Andy brings unbelievable energy to the group. He’s a great man, he’s a great leader and he’s created a really good environment in there.
“It’s exciting times ahead. He’s got a really good panel together. After Saturday evening, I’m looking forward to going back training on Tuesday evening. Can’t wait to get back into it.”
“Half of the Mayo lads think I’m mad in the head playing hurling,” he adds, laughing.
“Some of them have played. Our captain Jack Coyne is a hurler with Ballyhaunis, Aidan O’Shea and Robbie Hennelly have played hurling as well. They know how much it means to me, they know how much we’ve put into it in the last year. They’ve been really good to me.”
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Fergal Boland: 'Half of the Mayo lads think I'm mad in the head playing hurling!'
FERGAL BOLAND IS best known as a Mayo footballer, but he’s gearing up for another All-Ireland hurling final.
Boland returns to Croke Park with his beloved Tooreen on Saturday evening, facing Tipperary’s Upperchurch-Drombane in the intermediate decider and seeking redemption for defeat to Monaleen of Limerick in 2023.
“It’s unbelievable,” says Boland. “Three years ago when we got to play in Croke Park, you think it might be the only time, but to get the second opportunity to run out with your club in Croke Park is unbelievable.
“I remember back in ’23, it was probably the proudest day of my life walking out in Croke Park with my teammates and best friends and brother (Shane).
“To get to do that again…I know other clubs aren’t as lucky as that, so I’m hugely grateful for it. But obviously we want to go up and do a job Saturday evening. We just don’t want to show up and take part.”
Tooreen have travelled a long road since 2017. They have won six Connacht championships in eight years, but have experienced their fair share of heartbreak.
That All-Ireland defeat to Monaleen stung as they were pipped down the stretch, while there have been several narrow semi-final losses. So close yet so far.
Many will feel this is D-Day, but Boland and the Tooreen group are keeping an even keel.
“When you get to an All-Ireland final, you’re always trying to deliver. We’re trying to not think of it too much as a burden but as an opportunity to perform on the big day. There’s going to be life after this as well.
“We feel as a group we’ve been through an awful lot together. We don’t dwell on our defeats too much. (2023) was the first time the club got to Croke Park so that was huge for the club. The experience of the day as a whole will hopefully give us another percent or two, but it’s not going to get us over the line. We still have to go out and perform.”
While the team will focus on that, the community can get carried away. The buzz around the locality is palpable, excitement building for the return to GAA HQ.
“It’s a sea of blue and white down in the village at the minute,” smiles Boland. “We had a meet and greet last Sunday with all the kids and it was great to see all the people out, all the young kids out. They’re just hugely invested in hurling. It’s crazy.
“People think we’re stone mad down there, but everyone just loves their hurling. It’s what everyone talks about. We’ve no shop or no pub at the minute in Tooreen, it’s only the hurling pitch and the school and the church. It’s the centre of the community. Even on the bad days, people are going to the wall, meeting up, pucking and obviously on the good days, it has made the Christmas and the winter a lot shorter.”
While Mayo is football country, hurling has grown more and more. Tooreen have played their part in that, along with Ballyhaunis.
Small ball dominates in a pocket in the east of the county.
“Hurling in Mayo, we’re very much within the club. It’s all about our community. We’re not too bothered if people from other outside counties respect us or disrespect the hurling in Mayo. It’s all about our community and giving back to our volunteers and everyone and trying to make them proud. They’re the people that are most important to us.
“I suppose if you go anywhere in Ireland, the majority of people will know Tooreen hurling club or Ballyhaunis hurling club across the road. Hurling is a huge part of our identity and a huge part of our life in Mayo.”
That rings true with each and every word Boland utters.
The dual player appears to be a dying breed, but the 30-year-old will keep flying the flag.
“To be honest, I love it. I know it can be tough on the body at times. You need good management teams working together to give you rest days. But I love it.
“You could be going out there playing a football championship game on a Saturday evening and then we could be going down the road to Clare or Galway playing a hurling championship game on a Monday or Tuesday evening. Whether you play good or bad in one game, you have another game coming 24 hours later.
“I find it, to be honest, a great release for each other. They’re a nice reset and I think they keep the freshness in both sports. You’re not worn out with the one sport, you’re over and back and it keeps you mentally fresh as well in both senses.”
His club hurling hat is firmly on on the Road to Croker, but Mayo football is never far from Boland’s thoughts.
Indeed, he scored that superb point against Donegal last June that looked to have kept Mayo’s season alive, but Ciarán Moore knocked them out seconds later.
It has been a winter of change out west with Andy Moran taking the reins, and Boland is enthused by the new era.
“It’s really exciting. I’ve done a bit of training over the last few weeks and Andy brings unbelievable energy to the group. He’s a great man, he’s a great leader and he’s created a really good environment in there.
“It’s exciting times ahead. He’s got a really good panel together. After Saturday evening, I’m looking forward to going back training on Tuesday evening. Can’t wait to get back into it.”
“Half of the Mayo lads think I’m mad in the head playing hurling,” he adds, laughing.
“Some of them have played. Our captain Jack Coyne is a hurler with Ballyhaunis, Aidan O’Shea and Robbie Hennelly have played hurling as well. They know how much it means to me, they know how much we’ve put into it in the last year. They’ve been really good to me.”
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Fergal Boland GAA Road to Croker Tooreen