With Valentine’s Day upon us, we’ve attempted to do a little match-making at Shuul Colours by marrying counties with a rom-com movie or romance.
It wasn't an easy task – we are fallible! – so, if you have any other suggestion, please let us know. Enjoy!
Antrim – The Long Shot
For obvious reasons – but also because this complicated six-storyline rom-com fails to pull it together, which like Antrim and its rich club history, is surprising at inter-county level.
Armagh – Nice Girl Like You
The tag-line to this rom-com is ‘Naughty Can Be Nice’ – although any side that has played against Armagh might say different!
Carlow – Enchanted
That’s how we feel about the Carlow jersey. Absolutely love it.
Cavan – Roman Holiday
Simply because, like this film, Mickey Graham’s men brought a little old-fashioned romance back to the Ulster championship in 2020.
Clare – Mamma Mia
The 1990s had that feel about when it came to the Clare hurlers – that any moment Ger Loughnane or Anthony Daly were about to break into ‘The Winner Takes it All’, ‘I Have A Dream’ or ‘Waterloo’.
Cork – Sixteen Candles
Still in production, a candle for every year since 2005 when the Cork hurlers last won the Liam McCarthy Cup.
Derry – Happiest Season
It may be a modern-day rom-com about not ruining Christmas, but Happiest Season in Derry will always be their All-Ireland winning campaign of 1993.
Donegal – Wedding Crashers
These guys and gals always seem to be up for a laugh. Long live Donegal Tuesday!
Down – The Princess Bride
Featuring heroes and giants of the 1960s and wizards from the 1990s, Down GAA, as the tag-line goes, is “not just your basic, average, every-day, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, ho-hum fairy-tale”. Rated PG!
Dublin – As Good As It Gets
Six All-Irelands-in-a-row, and no sign of stopping. This Dublin team is simply As Good As It Gets. Jack Nicholson’s compulsive-obsessive character reflects the Dubs obsession with being the very best.
Fermanagh – Keeping the Faith
One of only 2 counties not yet to win a provincial title, Fermanagh fans long for that day they can win that elusive Ulster championship.
Galway – The Wedding Singer
After delivering one of the most lyrical acceptance speeches in GAA history, we reckon that 1980 All-Ireland winning hurling captain Joe Connolly – with his black, curly hair and Hollywood smile – could easily play the part of The Wedding Singer’s Robbie Hart.
Kerry – The Seven-Year-Itch
No All-Ireland win since 2014 for the market leaders, so that itch is getting worse! We were also considering the classic comedy ‘Pat & Mike’, in honour of the amazing Pat Spillane and Mikey Sheehy who have a combined 16 All Ireland medals.
Kildare – 27 Dresses
On five occasions, the Lilywhites have finished runners-up in All-Ireland footballs finals and another 22 times they have been the bridesmaids in Leinster deciders. That adds up to 27 in any man’s language!
Kilkenny – Return To Me
We thought about going with The Truth About Cats & Dogs, but there’ll be no telling tales here. Instead, this rom-com is all about Kilkenny’s 2021 pursuit of Liam McCarthy.
Laois – Singin’ in the Rain
In the 1915 hurling All Ireland final it was reported that it rained so much that the players wore overcoats in the second half! Laois didn’t care, they emerged victorious to win their only Senior All Ireland to this day.
Leitrim – Knocked Up
Leitrim’s Connacht Final win in 1994 was as unexpected as Katherine Heigl’s pregnancy in Knocked Up! Well unexpected to everyone bar the team and management who had backed themselves at odds of 16 – 1. The win breathed new life in to the county for years to come.
Limerick – Pretty Woman
With its new theme tune of ‘Limerick You’re A Lady’, this reimagining is a tale of a sophisticated management team – backed by great wealth – romancing a down-and-out lady and turning her into a beautiful princess!
Longford – What If
The opening remark of an optimistic Longford supporter each season since their last Leinster SFC title in 1968.
Louth – The Big Sick
Known as the most controversial Leinster Final in history, in 2010 Louth were making their first appearance in the final for 50 years and had one hand on the cup until that Joe Sheridan incident leaving them, well, sick.
Mayo – The Heartbreak Kid
It was that or How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days, adapted for the Croke Park stage and re-titled ‘How to Lose An All-Ireland in 10 Ways!’ Or even 'Play it Again, Sam'. However, we felt that was too cruel. Mayo for Sam.
Meath – Tin Cup
Oh I so wish the movie 'Tough Guys' was a rom-com! But sticking to the theme we went with Tin Cup - Talented and stubborn, with a bit of romance thrown in.
Monaghan - 13 Going on 30
In 2018 there was love in the air when Monaghan made their 13th All Ireland semi-final appearance after a 30 year wait. Unfortunately like this movie, the ending wasn’t great!
Offaly – Forgetting Sarah Marshall
For Offaly hurlers, it was Forgetting ‘Babs’ Keating – and his sheep in a heap! In football, their No. 1 rom-com these days is ‘There’s Something About Maughan’ – and how good he looks in shorts!
Roscommon – Just My Luck
While this rom-com starred Lindsay Lohan it was another Lohan, Gerry whose luck was in when he scored in injury time to win the Connacht title for the Rossies in 2001, sending Hyde Park (and Rockfords!) beserk.
Sligo – Never Been Kissed
Unfortunately for the Yeats County, the Sam McGuire or Liam McCarthy find themselves having never been kissed by a Sligo captain. There have been some good days though like the 2007 Connacht title win.
Tipperary – Love, Actually
Like this movie, watching the Tipp footballers 2020 campaign gave everyone a feel good factor and brought a little romance back to the football championship.
Tyrone – Something’s Gotta Give
And it did when long-serving manager Mickey Harte stood down after 18 years at the helm of their senior footballers.
Waterford - The 5 Year Engagement
Will ye feckin get married already?!! Its like the Waterford hurlers are on a long engagement and everyone wants them to have their big day out soon.
Westmeath – It Happened One Night
With the help of the late great Páidí Ó Sé, in 2004 Westmeath removed themselves from the list of counties never to have won a provincial title. And apparently it was some night!
Wexford – Notting Hill
In Wexford, they call it Vinegar Hill. This one tells the tale of an unlikely romance between a Clare man and the Model County. ‘I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her!’
Wicklow – The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Still waiting for a Leinster SFC title, Wicklow’s footballers would undoubtedly concur with the tagline: ‘The longer you wait, the harder it gets!’
Have you a better rom-com movie for your county? Let us know in the comments below...
