Limerick fans to cheer on boys in green all the way from Germany
AS LOTS of hurling fans are ready to return home from abroad for the final, one Limerick man is packing his suitcase for Munich, where he will be watching the match with his family.
While the Limerick hurlers get ready for Croker, Mark Tobin from Ballinacurra Gardens, will spend the weekend with his son, Adam and his partner, Chanel. His granddaughter, Ivy, will be rocking her green jersey for the first time.
“She’ll have her jersey on. It's been forced upon her to follow. I sent her a hurley over two months ago, Chanel’s family had no idea what a hurley was!” Mark laughs.
“She has no idea what's going on, but she knows there's something big on Sunday, we're looking forward to it. They have a German Shepherd, and they’ll have him dressed in green as well.”
It won’t be the first time Mark travels to Germany for a hurling match.
“I went to Berlin three years ago when we played Cork. We watched it in the Kilkenny bar because Adam is a musician and he plays there. When we got there, we were outnumbered by Cork fans,” he recalls.
Mark played hurling with Ballinacurra Gaels up until he was 21.
“They’ve been thriving. They've been waiting for something big for years, we’re a very passionate city.
“The whole city gets together now, and it's just fantastic to see how it brought so much positivity, destiny. That's why you find so many people following it now, it's because it’s bringing some pride back to the city,” he said.
Once she’s a bit older, Mark will teach Ivy how to play his favourite game.
“She’ll be cooking with a hurley,” he laughs.