True Blue Hughie hoping for All-Ireland triumph

WILL Dublin GAA
supporters be painting the town red (or blue) this Sunday night after their
battle with Kerry in the eagerly awaited All-Ireland Final at Croke Park?

Hughie Maguire
from Grace O’Malley Road, Howth, is one of thousands of Northside fans ready
for one almighty celebration if we land our first All-Ireland crown since 1995.

In 1994, in the
lead up to Dublin’s All-Ireland final clash with Down, Hughie painted the
outside of his house in the Dubs’ colours, which gave his late mother a bit of
a shock.

“My mother was
heading down to Limerick for a holiday and asked me to do a bit of painting so
I took the opportunity to paint the outside of the house in our colours,

?
Hughie tells Northside People.

“She was a bit
shocked alright when she came back but she had a good sense of humour.

?

Hughie, who has
been supporting the Dubs since 1974 and hasn’t missed a match since, was the
victim of a prank seven years ago when a friend organised for the outside of
his house to be painted in arch rivals Meath’s colours.

“I had played a
prank on a friend six months earlier and he got me back,

? explains Hughie.

“He brought me
out to Clondalkin and while we were there, he organised for the house to be
painted in the Meath colours.

“There were
about 30 people outside my house when I arrived home.

“I was
absolutely sickened. I couldn’t look at it. I had to walk into the house
backwards until I got it painted back in the Dubs’ colours.

?

When Hughie’s
shock had subsided, he passed it off as

“a bit of banter

? in the true spirit of
a genuine football supporter.

The assistant
secretary of the Dublin Supporters’ Club is now hoping that he will finally get
a chance to paint the town red this Sunday night if the Dubs beat their old
adversaries from the Kingdom.

“If we play like
we did against Tyrone (in the quarter final) we have a really good chance of
winning,

? he says.

“We’ll have to
give 110 per cent for 70 minutes in every position though and 110 per cent from

‘The Hill’ as well.

“The decision to
allow Diarmuid Connolly (star forward) to play is a big bonus.

?

Connolly was
sent off controversially in the semi-final against Donegal and successfully
appealed the decision.

Hughie believes
the difference with the Dublin team this year is that the defence has tightened
up.

“And we’re not
just relying on Bernard Brogan for scores,

? he says.

“They’re coming
from all over the pitch – midfield, half forwards and forwards.

“Stephen Cluxton
(goalkeeper who takes frees) has been a big plus too, scoring 11 points.

“We’ve always
had good place-kickers with the likes of Jimmy Keaveney and Barney Rock, and
Cluxton has given us another option.

?

One of Hughie’s
best memories in all his years supporting the Dubs is travelling on the team
bus to the Mansion House with the players the day after the ’92 final against
Donegal.

?Even though we
lost the match, it was a great experience,

? he recalls.

“If we win on
Sunday, we’re hoping to get into the function with the players on the night.

?

It’s been 16
long years since Dublin last tasted Sam Maguire glory and Hughie, like every
other Dublin fan, is praying that the famine finally ends this Sunday.

“It’s been a
long time alright,

? he adds.

“Sunday’s match will be played at 100 miles an
hour and I think it will be score for score.

“The Kerry team
is aging a bit but they still have the

‘Gooch’. However, while they have one
Gooch – we have two Brogans (Alan and Bernard)!

?