This hack holds his dictaphone, almost hoping that no one wants to speak to the media, but also aware that he has to file some form of copy for the following week.
One player. Just one. (No offence to anyone else) catches our eye and strolls over. Moments after a bitterly disappointing All Ireland Final defeat, Donal OโGrady chats to the media. That took some balls.
The same process would be repeated all too many times for Donal or I to even want to remember.
Win, lose or draw, the man from Granagh/Ballingarry always had a word for those who were trying to do their โjobโ.
I didnโt get an opportunity last week to mark the Limerick captainโs retirement, but I could not have left it pass without having a say.
OโGrady didnโt come through the Limerick set up with any form or hype or pageantry. The man who played Intermediate for Limerick when playing Intermediate was often โfrownedโ upon, fought for every ball like it was his last.
The work ethic and dogged determination may even have hindered Donalโs career for a finish. Such was OโGradyโs versatility, he often ended up filling more than one on field role in a game.
It was off the field too, where OโGrady excelled. Leading his men by example.
Speaking only last season, OโGrady lamented his early arrival to hurling and only wished he was born a few years later so he could truly benefit from all that sports science has to offer the modern day player.
Inspirational points on the field, most from extreme distances, were coupled with heart warming and tear inducing speeches off of it.
The man they call โDodgeโ might have to retire, but he knows there was nothing โDodgedโ in his career.