Pensioner takes to the field to help Offaly club fulfil hurling league fixture

A FORMER playing stalwart, now eligible for the free bus pass, helped Shamrocks fulfil a Division 4 Hurling League fixture last weekend.

Sixty-seven year old Seanie Monaghan lined out in defence to make up a team for Shamrocks in their 4-19 to 0-7 defeat by Seir Kieran in Clareen.

He was a great long time dual player for the former St Carthage's from the 1970s into the 1990s, playing senior football for years as well as intermediate hurling – St Carthage's amalgamated with Mucklagh to form Shamrocks in the mid 1990s.

His career came during a period when St Carthage's had a decent senior football team but weren't strong enough to mount a serious challenge for the Dowling Cup – they occasionally had big wins and beat strong teams but they hadn't the consistency or strength in depth to go to a final.

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St Carthage's were also very strong in intermediate hurling throughout Seanie's playing career. It was an era when club hurling was strong and St Carthage's suffered a series of devastating final defeats, losing out in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992 and 1993. He was a sub when the newly formed St Carthage's-Mucklagh finally got across the line, beating Ballinamere in the 1994 final – they changed their name to Shamrocks a year later as Seanie wound down his playing career.

A fast and skilful player, Seanie later served as a senior football selector and hurling mentor in his adopted town of Clara. A great character, fondly known as “The King”, he will get plenty of mileage out of his unexpected comeback last Sunday!!!