The All Ireland Championship ends up with one winner at the end of the tournament but in many ways, it is better defined by the many more it finds along the way.
The RTÉ cameras were at the Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships yesterday. Nobody would question that was the right call with Galway and Kilkenny, Cork at Tipperary serving up titanic battles as giants of the sporting summer.
The Championships beating heart though was perhaps more readily in evidence in the Leinster Football Championship which produced two Quarter Final wins for Carlow and Longford that will be spoken of perhaps for a generation or more.
Their respective wins over Kildare and Meath have left the Leinster Championship with an unfamiliar look underneath the powerful dominance of Dublin. It is almost certain that it is they who will go on to victory but yesterday was a day for counties to remind everyone just why the Championship matters way beyond its biggest days.
Twelve months ago Carlow acquitted themselves with pride against Dublin at this same stage. Yesterday they fully deserved going one better against a Kildare side that was deemed to be much stronger.
Instead, there was the romance of the underdog as Carlow came through and secured a semi-final place against Laois.
Carlow has won a Leinster title before but it was a way back in 1933. This could put Mayo’s search for historic redemption in the ha’penny place and their opponents in the semi-final in two weeks time are Laois, who were fellow travellers in gaining promotion from Division 4 of the Allianz League this season.
There was no fluke about this win either. Carlow scored 2-14 from 16 attempts on goal. That’s a 100 percent record in terms of shooting accuracy, a figure which even the mighty Dublin would shake their head at.
Up the road in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park Longford were entertaining Meath for their place in a semi-final against Dublin. Meath would feel that such a clash was their right. After all, they were the last team other than Dublin to win the Leinster title but on a day of history, it was Longford that was to prevail.
Similar to Carlow in never having won an All Ireland their sole Leinster title was a little closer but still all of 50 years ago. Maybe it will be another 50 to get to that height but yesterday was a win to stir the hearts of those from within the second least populated county in the country against one with five times their number.
Come September 2nd when the All Ireland Champions are crowned, most fans, media and the general public will have forgotten yesterday but in Carlow and Longford, they will cherish the memories of a golden win.
It will fire more young players to take up the game and more again to keep at it. It will instil a sense of pride in a sense of place. That’s why the Championship really matters, beyond the Super 8’s and the Sunday Game Live.
On the day that AIB launches their Championship partnership, yesterday was a reminder of the enduring appeal of sport in general and the GAA in particular. It was special.
Sign up today for our free daily news digest covering the commercial world of sport or discover the benefits of becoming a full member alongside the many leading organisations whom we serve.
Image Credit: ken Sutton, Inpho Photography
