SPORTING PASSIONS SHANE LOWRY:The Irish Open champion tells JOHN O'SULLIVANabout his GAA idols in hurling and football, and his love for all sports – except cricket

GROWING UP in the Lowry household, my early sporting memories are largely devoted to GAA. I played both codes until it conflicted with my golf and I had to make a decision with regard to my priorities. I love watching football and hurling, particularly going to the matches.

My first memory would be going to Croke Park as an eight-year-old to the 1995 All-Ireland hurling final when Clare beat Offaly. My grandparents took me and we ended up in the Nally Stand where children were admitted free of charge when accompanied by old-age pensioners. I can’t remember being too upset but it was the start of a passion for going to Croke Park.

I watched Offaly win the 1997 Leinster football championship and I suppose I never thought we’d still be waiting to celebrate again. On recent evidence it could be a while yet. When I was pucking the ball around in the back garden as a youngster I’d pretend I was Johnny Dooley; he was the main man back then.

I can’t remember wanting to be any particular Offaly footballer but did have a great admiration for Kerry’s Maurice Fitzgerald. He was a brilliant footballer who made everything look effortless. I have managed to get to a few matches this season but would have had to settle for watching the majority on television.

Two games that stood out were Kilkenny’s victory over Galway in the Leinster hurling championship and, in terms of excitement, last Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final between Galway and Waterford at Thurles.

I’ll have a vested interest in Bank Holiday Monday’s All-Ireland football quarter-final at Croke Park as my first cousin, David Henry, is playing for the Dubs against Kerry. Family solidarity demands that I’ll be cheering for Pat Gilroy’s men. I know if the Dubs reach the semi-final I’ll be able to get to the game in person.

I’ve got to a couple of championship games in Tullamore but the life of a professional golfer doesn’t lend itself to making too many matches in person. I’m well aware of the proud family tradition – my uncle Seán won All-Ireland football winners’ medals in 1972 and 1982, while dad (Brendan) and uncle Mick were part of the Offaly team that beat Kerry in ’82 – but it’s not as if you’d look at it often.

It seems ages ago and even the auld fella can’t remember much about the match. You’d like to think the people of Offaly would have something new to focus on in the next few years rather than having to dwell on the past: although there doesn’t appear to be anything on the horizon.

To be honest, I’d watch any sport on television, well with the exception of cricket. I’m a Manchester United fan and I’m hoping to get to Old Trafford in the coming season. I also love rugby. I remember going to a few matches in Lansdowne Road during the 2002 Six Nations Championship.

I was absolutely chuffed when Leinster won the Heineken Cup last season. I remember watching the semi-final victory over Munster at a tournament and jumping around the hotel. I think it is important for Irish rugby that Leinster did win because Munster have been the standard-bearers for so long; it’s great to see two provinces being successful.

There’s something about Irish sportspeople and their ability to get the job done on the big occasions. I was glued to the Lions Test series against South Africa and remember being unbelievably disappointed after watching the second Test defeat while playing in Munich. Still they went some way to redressing those defeats by winning the third Test.