“It’s like winning the lotto” – Moradi delighted with helping Leitrim to All-Ireland success
By Hayden Moore
KURDISH-Iranian refugee and Thomas Davis hurler, Zak Moradi, has likened his recent All-Ireland intercounty triumph with Leitrim to “winning the lotto”.
Moradi was a second-half substitute as Leitrim won their first piece of senior silverware in their 2-23 to 2-22 win over Lancashire for the Lory Meagher Cup in Croke Park on Saturday.
Thomas Davis player Zak Moradi (left) played a big part in Leitrim’s victory on Saturday and (right) with the Lory Meagher Cup.
After being sprung from the bench on 61-minutes, Moradi made a huge impact as he chipped in with a crucial assist for James Glancy’s equalising goal before pointing in extra-time.
Speaking to The Echo after the game, the Tallaght resident said: “It was an exciting feeling, it’s like winning the lotto. Except it’s not the lotto, but it does come close to it.”
After coming close in 2017, Moradi spoke about the sheer joy of walking up the steps of the Hogan Stand to finally collect their All-Ireland medals and lift the cup.
“It felt absolutely brilliant; it was best moment of my life.
“We’ve been coming up the past few years, getting close with this same group of players so it was nice to walk up the steps and lift the cup with this group of lads.”
Moradi was born in Ramadi, Iraq in 1991 after his family fled from Iran because of the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s before they fled to Carrick-on-Shannon in 2002 amid further rising tensions.
Introduced to the small ball a year later by Clement Cunniffe, Moradi would go on to represent the O’Rourke County alongside the full-forward in Croke Park at the weekend.
Although Moradi did not start the game on Saturday, he revelled in the opportunity to get on the field and register a point.
“I was disappointed not to start, I want to be on the field playing of course,” he said.
“I play corner forward, there’s a lot of competition in my position with some of the younger lads coming through, but once I got on I was running around the place, I had loads of energy.
“I just had one thing on my mind when I ran onto the ball- get it over the bar” he said.
Leitrim are finished playing hurling for the year and will pick up their preparations for the Allianz Hurling League Division 3B in December before, next summer, entering the Nicky Rackard competition to which they have now been promoted.
Moradi is looking forward to the prospect of more support for Leitrim hurling as a result, but before then, he will turn his attention back to his adopted home club of Thomas Davis.
He explained: “I’m back to training this week, back to reality because I’ve a match on Saturday with O’Toole’s.
“We won the Intermediate championship two years ago, and the Intermediate league, and got to the final again there last year.
“I’m training the Under-13 hurling team tonight as well, life begins again I suppose doesn’t it?
“The hurling is really coming along in the club, there’s some very good players coming through. It’s very well organised” he added.
