A perfect 26th birthday present for try scorer McCabe
County Carlow's Jamie McCabe crosses over for Carlow's first try in this Towns cup semi final clash against Wicklow RFC in Cill Dara.
Carlow try scorer, Jamie McCabe, was celebrating his 26th birthday on Sunday. What a time to come up with a vital five pointer. Yet rugby was not his first choice sport where he has been a Fenagh GAA stalwart. He has won silverware with the club and his former school, Presentation De La Salle in Bagenalstown. Where did the interest in rugby come from?
“It came out of nowhere really. I came back to it. I had played as a young fella but my interest has come on in leaps and bounds. A seconds cup final last year and now a Towns Cup final this year. We are flying it,” he said.
“We ground it out. It wasn’t pretty but we knew how to win it. We got ahead and they were chasing the game.”
As Wicklow came in search of victory in those closing minutes, McCabe was on the line having made way for a Carlow substitute.
“It was heart-wrenching. At least when you are on the pitch you have a job to do. When you are on the side-line your heart is in your mouth,” he admitted.
And how does this compare to what he has achieved on the football fields?
“It is hard to explain. I am new to the rugby. I can see what it means to everybody and the same for me. It is hard to rank it.”
