THE MOONEY SHOW

A Joyful Day at Dublin Airport as Jubilant Ireland Bring The World T20 Qualifying Trophy Home

The Mooney Show's Brenda Donoghue joined supporters, family and friends to meet the victorious Irish Cricket Team when they brought home the World T20 Qualifying Trophy to a sunny and joyful Dublin Airport on Sunday.

Derek Mooney: The Irish Cricket Squad, you probably know this already, returned from Dubai yesterday with the World T20 Qualifying Trophy and a place in the Finals in Sri Lanka in September. And on Saturday morning they played Namibia and earned their place in the finals. And then that afternoon, out they went again, played Afghanistan to win the Tournament outright. A truly incredible sporting achievement.

Robin Jackman: Clipped away through the onside, that's the win. Ireland win by 5 wickets. Both these teams had already made it to Sri Lanka. They're the best in the Associate and Affiliate World. And boy have they gone head to head today.

Derek Mooney: Well good luck to the Irish Cricket Team is what we say. Brenda you met them yesterday on their return?

Brenda Donoghue: Yes on behalf of the Mooney Show I went out to the Airport to congratulate them. Now I will put my hands up and say I'm not an expert on Cricket. I don't know everything about it. But what I do recognise is a really truly remarkable sporting achievement. And for them, they played ten games in a row, day after day. I think they had one day of a break.

And to win all those matches that they did. And then to play Namibia and qualify for the World Cup Finals in Sri Lanka in September. And then that afternoon to turn around, go out again, play Afghanistan, who have also qualified for the World Cup, to see who was going to win the overall Tournament.

Beat Afghanistan, and beat them so well, with a phenomenal performance. I thought, I can recognise that this is a wonderful, remarkable sporting achievement. And I went out to the Airport, and I've been there when the Soccer Teams have come back, and the Rugby Teams have come back from their various adventures.

Sometimes they're a little bit disappointed, sometimes they're delighted, it just all depends. But this was a really joyful occasion in Dublin Airport yesterday. You had the families, the relatives. Remember the guys had been away for seven weeks. So you had some of their children, their parents, everybody there, some fans. And before they walked through, one of their players is John Mooney.

Now John Mooney had to return early from the Tournament, because he got a hamstring injury. But I spoke to him as we waited for the Irish Team to come through. And I asked him was it very important for him to come away from the beautiful sunshine, and to be there to welcome his own team back home?

John Mooney: I consider myself, you know, still very much part of the team, even though I had to come home. Even yesterday, I am injured, I'm not supposed to be, you know, having a beer, but em I waited until after the game, and when we won the game, I cracked open the Champagne, you know because I enjoy their success. They enjoy my success. And as a team together, it's very important important for me to be here to welcome them back in, because these are like brothers to me at this stage, and you know I want to see the trophy as well.

Brenda Donoghue: Can you explain John, first of all what it means to the Team to actually qualify?

John Mooney: Ah it means everything to the Team. I think qualifying was a bonus obviously, but the team really wanted to win the competition. You know we won it in such style, it was on the television as well for the Cricket Lovers around the world to see, that we're just a really good team. And it means everything to the lads. You're see it on their faces when they come through now shortly.

Brenda Donoghue: When we think of Cricket compared to say GAA and Soccer, it's really starting to get up there in the Irish psyche. Have you seen that grow?

John Mooney: Yeah I can definitely see it. I'm a qualified Electrician, and people who I would have studied with in FAS and stuff like that, they would have not really had that much time for Cricket, you know. But now I'm still getting texts off a couple of them saying, you know, well done and we were watching the game. And you know for lads like that who are, I would say Soccer heads, they have started to take to it. People are getting in touch with us on Twitter. One bloke said I'm down in Salthill, I just walked past twenty kids playing Cricket on the green in Galway. That doesn't happen by fluke. That happens by being, you know, on the television and winning games of Cricket. So it's great.

Brenda Donoghue: What are your hopes for this team?

John Mooney: There's no reason why we can't get to a Semi-Final, there's no reason why we can't get to a Final, I firmly believe. Because we have got great team spirit. We've got the skills, you know. With a bit more financial backing from the ICC, in a few years time I don't think there's anything the team can't do. We could certainly push to be in the top five the world, in my opinion, in the next five to ten years.

Brenda Donoghue: How did you get from being an Electrician with FAS to playing Cricket?

John Mooney: Yeah well I suppose I've played Cricket since I was two. I only became an Electricity when I was twenty one. So it was pretty easy to come out of it. I love the trade, it's great to have this card in my pocket which says I'm an Electrician. But I was only really working, I suppose, to feed my habit which was Cricket, you know. And I had to work to put the food on the table. But now because of our success, there was contracts handed out, and I got one of the contracts. So the rest is history.

Brenda Donoghue: You said Cricket is what you really wanted to do. Describe that buzz, or the bug for people?

JohnMooney: Yeah, you see you're always involved. As a youngster you're always involved in the game. Because you've either got the bat in your hand or you've got the ball in your hand. So it's great for participation. Kids can probably get lost, I suppose, in a game of Football or in a game of Hurling or whatever it is, because they might not want the contact, they might not want the ball anywhere near therm. But with Cricket, you're always in the action as a player. Some kids just really enjoy ball sports like that, and golf, as opposed to Football and Rugby.

Derek Mooney: Good man John. So what about the fans Brenda, the fans, we're all about the fans?

Brenda Donoghue: Yes well the Team actually came through and I spoke to Martin and Bernie who are two fans, and then Kevin O'Brien who people will remember in March in the last World Cup scored the fastest century in Cricket World Cup History, against England. So a bit of fans, bit of the players, and a really truly joyful victorious atmosphere in Dublin Airport.

Brenda Donoghue: Hi Sir what's your name and who have you with you?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): Well I'm Martin Russell and this is my partner Bernie.

Brenda Donoghue: Tell me why are you here to welcome in the Cricket Team?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): Well first of all one of our members is on the Cricket Team, Max Sorensen.

Brenda Donoghue: Members of?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): The Hills Cricket Club.

Brenda Donoghue: Ok.

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): As a result of that, and not alone just that, but we would be here whether Max was here or not. But ten years ago you would never have anticipated that we would be in the heights that we're in today, where Cricket is concerned. And now to be the top Affiliate Country is absolutely fantastic.

Brenda Donoghue: Are you very proud of these boys?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): Oh very much so. Bernie: Ah yes, yes, yes.

Brenda Donoghue: And what about you Bernie.

Bernie: Well I'm sort of dragged along to the Cricket, if you know what I mean. Don't understand it, just there. Love the lads, great lads, great team, every one of them.

Brenda Donoghue: You just held the trophy that they won there. And I could see the eyes filling up. What does that feel like to you, to hold that trophy?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): Well I suppose in a sense it is very similar to somebody holding, in Gaelic holding the Sam Maguire. So I mean it has that same sort of feeling to us.

Brenda Donoghue: But a wonderful feeling, nonetheless?

Martin Russell (Hills Cricket Club): Absolutely thrilling.

Bernie: He's as proud as punch. He's over the moon.

Brenda Donoghue: Who is your favourite player on the team?

Bernie: Oh me fella Max. Oh gosh yeah. Well they're all lovely, but I'm Max's number one fan.

Brenda Donoghue: Kevin O'Brien, congratulations and welcome back. Is it great to be back home, having won the Tournament outright?

Kevin O'Brien: Yeah it's a great feeling coming back in there through the doors and seeing the supporters, yeah it's great. It's also great to be home, you know it was a long tour, seven weeks, and we hit form at the right time in the second week, you know, we won ten games in a row to finish the Tournament as the outright winner and the best team in it. So it was a great way to finish the Tour. It was a long Tour, but I mean the guys played well. And it was a great team effort from all involved.

Brenda Donoghue: Right for those listening who may not understand the game of Cricket, what is the moment where you go yes, I love this game?

Kevin O'Brien: Probably watching Paul Stirling bat yesterday. Absolutely phenomenal, you know, it was probably the best innings I've ever seen someone play. Just the whole team atmosphere, you know, you're there with fifteen of your mates and you're playing on a World stage against other guys you know from other countries, so it's just the enjoyment factor really.

Of course winning games and wining trophies always makes it a lot more special. It's an exciting time to be a part of Irish Cricket.

Brenda Donoghue: Listen you're great for talking to me, because I'm sure you want to go home to bed?

Kevin O'Brien: Yeah I wouldn't mind, I didn't get much sleep last night, so I wasn't the only one, but yeah I think I might catch up on a few hours later on this afternoon.