PATTY AMOND can well remember the day she was asked who was parenting the two young lads tricking on the pitch at half time in a junior march at Kiltipper eleven years ago.

She was at the venue to watch her nephew Ebbie Quigley and Tullow player Wayne Donohoe playing for Shamrock Rovers, and the query made her wonder what antics her two boys had got up to.

"Mam was worried as to what we might have done, but the official was impressed with John (12) and me (11) and asked Mam if she could bring us up for a trial, and five minutes into the trial they wanted to sign both of us," Padraig recalls.

John remained a Hoops players right up to under 21, but while Padraig progressed into the senior team John could not commit because of attending college in Cork, and returned to playing with Carlow footballers.

"Mam and Dad travelled up and down three days a week with us; it was a huge commitment on their part and I wouldn't be where I am without them," he acknowledged, recalling leaving Carlow at 8am and not returning until that evening. "And during those times our games could often be on the far side of Dublin," he remembered, and without the luxury of the M50 or the new motorway to Carlow.

And the milage became greater and more complicated when Padraig, by then an under 14 would play on Saturday mornings and John's matches on Sundays. "So it went from three to four times a week."

The unusual story repeated itself when younger brother Aaron was also 'discovered' doing the very same 'tricking around' on the sideline when his older brothers were playing, and so came the same invitation to Pat and Patty and now the travelling increased still further. "Mam said, 'not again,' but in fairness to them both they've been fantastic to us. At one stage John was with the 17s, I was with the 16s and Aaron was with the under 7s or 8s. He's only 12 now and he has three or four league medals with Rovers, and is now back with St. Pat's in Carlow and in the local Academy."

Pat Nolan is a proud dad today and looking forward to son Padraig in a full Irish shirt; his call to Portugal hopefully the avenue to senior green.

"It's a great opportunity for him…it's a big jump but he'll do it. He doesn't mind which league he's in he'll succeed in any of them."

Making light of the many days of travelling to keep their sons involved with Shamrock Rovers, Pat quipped that it would have been easier to have moved house to Dublin. "We'd often reach Tallaght and then have to go in three directions for different games at the weekend and back up on Tuesdays and Thursdays for training…but sure, what else would you be at?"

Proprietor of Carlow Toolmaking Services on the Pollerton Industrial Estate, Pat nods in the direction of the two trophy-cabinets in the sitting room, and later get a deco at a vast selection of cups, medals and other trophies in the boys' rumpus room upstairs; testimony to many years of excellence in a range of sports from soccer, to GAA, and badminton to athletics.

Padraig has county titles in eight different sports and played under 18 football and hurling for the county and featured in he Leinster MHC final against Kilkenny four seasons back; he the third highest scorers in the competition that year.

He also coached Crettyard Utd for a season and the following year - doubtless because of his injection - won everything the following year.

Pat recalls many an afternoon when returning from Dublin John and Padraig would change into GAA colours - be it 'Davitts, Naomh Brid or Ballinabranna - in the back of the car to be ready for the throw-in.

He has lasting memories of Padraig's final game for Sligo - against Shamrock Rovers in the cup semi-final. "He had scored in the 1-1 first half and from the kick-off of the second he had the ball in the net in 11 seconds. Not only did the Sligo fans applaud him, but the travelling Shamrock Rovers fans gave him a marvellous cheer too."

He remembered the evening he drove John and Padraig from Dublin to play in an under 14 football final against St. Mullins. They missed the first half and joined the game with St. Mullins winning comfortably, but only 'till the Amonds arrived on the pitch.

All five boys, Jason and Dale included, have won Community Games badminton medals while John and Padraig helped the Presentation College to the all-Ireland SF 'C' trophy five years ago.

Padraig has won three all-Ireland soccer medals, with Crumlin 16s, Home Farm and the Hoops and coincidentally three who lined out for Crumlin back then were on the Sligo Rovers team this season.