Every session, every month and every year, a young lad walked through the gates of Castle Avenue. Always there, with a smile on his face, eager to play.
Andrew Poynter and myself were always chuffed to see Daniel O'Sullivan or Sully as he is known to all, arrive, he was a good kid who gave his best and was a pleasure to coach.
He was not a star player and sometimes we wondered if he was getting enough out of the game to keep going. He was small and much of the time underage sport is dominated by big kids. Sully was not big.
Clearly though, he was getting satisfaction and that was hugely gratifying. Some kids need success to justify keeping up a sport but for others the sense of belonging to something bigger while constantly testing you is more than enough.
Sully's interest in cricket was triggered by his father Sean, who, although a Clontarf local, played his cricket with Garda CC. For that side, he hit a personal best of 108 against The Hills against whom runs are always hard earned. From Sean, he also inherited his passion (though possibly a stronger word is needed here) for all things Kerry but particularly their football team and the only time he might miss a cricket match was when it would clash with a Championship game.
Fast forward 7 or 8 years and I happened to be at early season nets when I spotted a batsman hitting the ball beautifully. Only when he took his helmet off did I realise that Sully had finally taken that growth spurt and the hard work he had done on his batting all those years before was getting its just reward, now that he had the frame on to support the good technique. It brought a smile to my face, I must admit.
Sully has found his way through the minefield of youth sport and into adult sport, cementing his place to such an extent that when the fourth team needed a captain for 2021, there was no hesitation in handing the armband to the very young man. And he did an excellent job too.
Popular with the team and cool under pressure, his leadership skills were immediately clear and were recognised also when he co captained the Clontarf u21 hurling side. All the while, as happens around sports clubs, Sully had gathered a band of like minded friends. Lads who loved their sport but were of similar dispositions. Simply put they are good lads. The sort of lads who make the new kid welcome and included, who offer help when needed and are connected to their club and its values as a given.
Even though they span a good few teams during the summer they are a tight group and were delighted when a good number of them all got to play together in the 2021 Tillain Cup winning side.
It came as a shock to the group then, last February, when Sully sent a message around with some bad news. He had been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer. The immediate response from his mates was 100% supportive as one would expect from such a crew and Sully was going to need their support.
The treatment is likely to end any contact sport involvement so while cricket hangs as a possibility, his beloved hurling could well be a problem. But that is for another day, what is important is the here and now.
He is currently undergoing chemo before an operation to remove a portion of bone and then yet more chemo. What had looked to being an exciting sporting summer has been turned on its head and a long difficult summer and autumn stretch ahead
Refusing to feel sorry for himself, Sully and his family have decided to put this difficult time to productive use. He thought it would be a good thing to try and raise funds for two very deserving causes, BUMBLEance Children's National Ambulance Service and the Irish Cancer Society.
Last Friday, over 40 family, friends, former school mates, team mates from Clontarf GAA and Clontarf Cricket Club shaved their heads for the cause. The initial target was €3000 but that has been passed very quickly.
At the time of writing the total stands at an incredible €27,000 and rising. It represents a remarkable tribute to Daniel and his family.
If you would like and are in a position to donate, donations are open till 17 June (see link below). The young lad who kept coming back through the gates all those years ago is going to need all the resilience he can summon for this contest, but all the lessons sport has taught him will stand him in good stead.
We are all with you Sully.