Green and Red

Homecoming details

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 07:13 AM PDT

It's obviously not the end to our All-Ireland journey that any of us would have wanted but part of the pageantry of All-Ireland weekend is the homecoming and that's the case regardless of the result. The lads are currently on the train heading west, with an event at McHale Park waiting for them when they arrive. The gates at McHale Park will open at four and the team is due to arrive at the ground at about 5.30pm. There'll be music and some speeches by James and the lads and, I guess, not a whole load more than that. Full details on the event are here.

The morning after

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 02:13 AM PDT

Monday morning, it's raining and I still have the bunting that's strung from the front of the house to take down. It's over for another year, with Sam gone to Donegal, the winter ahead of us and thoughts of what might have been. Cruel this may be but this is the reality this Monday morning.

I haven't gone near the papers yet and, to be honest, I've very little appetite for doing so. I'm sure most of you feel the same way in any case. Reading about how and why we lost won't alter the outcome, won't undo the defeat. There are more productive things to be doing today.

What's heartening, though, this morning is to reflect back on last night's post-match bash at the Regency where the mood was both upbeat and defiant. James argued eloquently that this is only the beginning for his young team while Andy – who had more reasons than most to be down in the gob – declared that the only failure would be not to return again. It was great to hear such positivity from the camp so soon after the final whistle had been blown, good too to see this mood shared by the large attendance at the event.

So – chin up, hombres. We've had a great year, we have a team that did us proud and which has the potential to go further in 2013. While we didn't get across the line yesterday, we weren't outclassed and we know now that we're not far off the summit. There'll be other days and, hopefully, ones with better outcomes than yesterday's. That September road is still there for us.

But, rain or no rain, I'm afraid the bunting has to go.