NOBODY WOULD EVER be as crass to say that the hurling team of Kilcormac Killoughey is providing a chink of light during one of their darkest chapters in the history of the area.
Only now, the magnitude of what happened on that cursed day last January, following the sentencing of Jozef Puska for the murder of Ashling Murphy, is settling into some context.
The small details are the ones that break your heart. During the trial it was revealed that while running along the canal path in Tullamore, Ms Murphy was wearing a light navy jacket, bottoms, and the jersey of her camogie club, Kilcormac Killoughey.
As much as she was famed for her ability to play music, camogie, and her club, were more of her several enduring passions.
This season, after defeats in the 2018, 2020 and 2022 finals, the club won the Offaly senior hurling championship.
They have been a team on a mission since. This Saturday, they stand one game away from reaching the Leinster final for the fourth time, hoping to add to their one provincial title in 2012.
Standing in the way are the formidable opposition of O’Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny champions who put an end to the remarkable gallop of Ballyhale Shamrocks.
Some factors fall in the favour of the Offaly side, such as the game being scheduled for 1pm in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.
John Leahy has played for the club, has been a Leinster GAA coach, a local Independent Councillor, and an estate agent. Last year, he was part of manager Shane Hand’s coaching ticket and previously managed the team from 2006 to 2008.
He feels the backdrop to this game of hurling.
“There’s a relief that the trial has been a success, in terms of the maximum sentence being handed down,” he begins.
“There’s no question there is a massive cloud over the club as Ashling had been a member of the club and a player on the camogie team.
“From that point of view, the family are part of the parish. They are great community people. It’s all over the national news and everybody is getting about their business, but there is no doubt that everyone in the country is clued in to the case over the last two, three weeks.
“And everyone appreciates the toll it has taken on the family.”
There is no blueprint for something like this. There are some parallels to be drawn from the experiences of some clubs in Ulster who have been affected by sectarian murder, or the sad fate of Mickey Harte’s daughter, Michaela McAreavey, who was murdered on honeymoon.
Ultimately, the only thing that a GAA club can do in these circumstances, is be present.
“The GAA has probably proven that they can be there, when Ashling was murdered,” says Leahy.
“The GAA was to the forefront. Everything that is good about the GAA, and everything that is good about people, came to the forefront over those couple of weeks.
“Our thoughts and prayers have been with the family leading up to this point. That’s taken a longer period of time than people expected; to get to court and then sentencing.”
He continues, “I imagine the Gardai put the best case forward and I think there is a huge appreciation within the club for the process that has been gone through by the legal team and An Garda Síochána.
“While it’s not been talked about directly, people know of it. The family are very visible. And there’s no doubt that in any room or in any forum around here, everybody is still thinking of them and wondering how are they able to do what they are doing, and keeping going.
“And that’s what people would be saying behind the scenes: ‘How are they surviving and staying so strong, getting through what they are getting through?’”
In such times, people are drawn to familiar rituals. Not just for sport, but for a chance to be together. As one.
The local hurlers are that outlet.
The county final against Shinrone was polished off briskly and efficiently. Kilcormac Killoughey supporters were spared the anxiety of a close game.
On 12 November in Wexford Park, they minced local representatives Naomh Éanna, 2-22 to 0-14.
In coming up against O’Loughlin Gaels, they undoubtedly face a side better road-tested. But that’s not a worry to Leahy.
“I just think that when Kilcormac Killoughey get into this mode, the supporters and everybody else knows that these lads are going to perform,” he says.
“If you look at Kilcormac Killoughey’s record when we go into Leinster, we have a very good record in actually competing and going bald-headed for the competition.
“It’s a home crowd. Don’t underestimate what the crowd is going to do. There was a serious support there the last day and Wexford is a two-and-a-half-hour journey. We had 60% of the people in the stand and the match was on television and radio and we still had people travelling.
“There are people going mad looking for hurling right now and there’s a mighty buzz in Offaly hurling in general after what the U20s have done.”
One of the standout players for that now famed U20 Offaly team is Kilcormac Killoughey’s willowy attacker Adam Screeney.
“There’s the Adam Screeney Factor,” as Leahy calls it.
“There’s people from Offaly going to go to see these young lads, not just Adam, but the Luke Brackens, Colin Spains. They want to see these lads because they have gotten to know them as players at minors and U20s. There are people from outside the club who are following Kilcormac Killoughey. They are on a journey with these lads.
“You can say we are underdogs going in to Saturday. But I think that extra 10% or 15% will come from the supporters.
“I think scores are going to be hard to come by. They have a phenomenal backline, it’s almost an intercounty backline.”
It’s as well he mentioned it. In Mikey Butler, O’Loughlin Gaels have one of the most adhesive players in the game and perhaps the sole reason for Tony Kelly not gaining an All-Star in the county season gone by.
You might imagine given his physical make-up, he will be sent to live with Screeney for the afternoon.
“People talk about Adam Screeney, what he can do with the ball. But Adam Screeney does 70% of his work when he hasn’t got the ball. These lads will track men 50, 60 yards, we are overturning me then and getting scores off the back of it.”
In his various roles, Leahy finds himself on the road a lot. There’s ample opportunity to talk hurling. Eventually, the conversations steers towards the Murphy family.
“Is there a bit of what we talk about, about Ashling’s death in the ether? Without it being said, there’s no question. There’s that togetherness and driving the thing on.”
