When Michael Murphy curled that superbly taken free between the posts to level the game on Sunday with two of the four additional allotted minutes left on the MacCumhaill Park clock, one thought crossed this particular mind and no doubt many others watching on.
Donegal can win this one. Can finally bring that term “unbeaten in thirty-one matches” to a sweet end. And give everyone hope that Dublin can actually be overcome.
By Paddy Walsh
It didn’t work out that way, as it turned out, and the post match comments would appear to have suggested that a draw was a very good result against the country’s kingpins. It was. But a win against them would have been infinitely better and soared confidence levels within Rory Gallagher’s new look panel.
That’s why I was a tad disappointed when Donegal won possession in the closing minute and retained it, and kept retaining it, until the final whistle. And all I could think was – why not take a risk and go for it? Yes, the Dubs had set up to defend this possibility but watching the ball pass from one green and gold jersey to another and that clock march towards the referee’s final whistle of the afternoon, I got a sense of frustration at what might have been.
A long punt into the Dubs’ danger area might well have yielded possession but, then again, it might have conjured up something else. Like the potential of a dead ball scenario and another magical Murphy moment. Or a loose ball hanging invitingly for the likes of Jason McGee or Ciaran T hompson, two highly impressive perfomers on the day, to pounce on and ensure that the term “unbeaten in thirty-two matches” would never reach a printed page.
It’s unfair to take anything away from this spirited performance by the home team but those two goals in quick succession had sounded out a hope that this might indeed be Donegal’s day.
Had even one of the chances squandered over the game been converted, we might just have been celebrating a famous victory over those fiercest of rivals.
Not to be though I’d hazard a guess that had a certain Neil Gallagher been operating in the midfield sector, Jim Gavin would have been climbing abroad the homeward bus having remembered what a defeat feels like.
Or if the home team had only taken a risk in those closing seconds.
CORK TAKE THE POINTS AND CAULFIELD DELIVERS A FEW
In an interview in ‘The Examiner’ before Friday night’s match in Ballybofey, Cork City boss, John Caulfield described Finn Park as a “difficult venue” to come to and labelled Harps as a “well organised and physically strong” team.
“We are under no illusions that it will be a right battle up there,” he insisted.
And he was right on most fronts. Given the conditions – memo to ‘Soccer Republic pundits, it did affect both teams, not just the visitors – it certainly was a difficult venue and Harps were reasonably well organised, taking into account that this was a first competitive fixture involving the new and not so new faces in the squad.
Caulfield will have been relieved to have come away with all three points and, it must be said, deservedly so. On a night when the bulk of the few clear-cut chances were created by his side, it was appropriate that that mighty marksman Sean Maguire took the one that mattered right on the stroke of half-time though he was allowed far too much space in front of the target after a poor clearance was pumped back into the area.
Harps featured those new faces from the start and in general, the likes of Johnny Bonner, Ciaran O’Connor, ex-Cork City striker, Danny Morrissey, and the lively Caolan McAleer equipped themselves well.
Not surprising, there was a generous reception from home followers when the big signing of the close-season, Paddy McCourt, entered the fray as a 68th minute replacement for Sean Houston (ineffective on the night but sure to ignite once he gets into his stride).
The Derryman’s first touch in Harps colours wasn’t exactly memorable and his second, a free kick that drifted in the general direction of the Twin Towns tennis arena (the ball is in your McCourt) didn’t set the old place alight either. But he did show towards the end and offered hope that he might, just might, be a significant capture as long as he doesn’t eat into the hype that’s surrounding him.
Similar hype greeted the arrival of Spanish footballer, Nacho Novo, to Irish League outfit, Glentoran at the start of their season but he is very much living down to his billing.
Not quite a disappointing start for Harps seeing as they were up against a true title contender but points will be needed over the next couple of weeks when Oliver’s Army visit Bray and then host Galway United.
“I think they will shock a lot of people this year.” The ‘they’ in question is Harps and the quote came from John Caulfield in that build-up to Friday night’s encounter.
A more creative performance against his Cork side and they might have got one of those shocks up and running early…..
GPA CAUGHT NAPPING BUT NOTHING SUPER ABOUT NEW INITIATIVE
Oisin McConville’s claim that the Gaelic Players Association had “completely slept in” as the G.A.A. authorities voted to replace the All-Ireland quarter-finals with the so-called Super 8 system does have a measure of merit.
But I still believe the players and indeed many of the participating counties have been given the rawest of deals with the scheduled structure and when they waken up to the reality of it may feel even more aggrieved as its passing by Congress last weekend.
Not the first time the players have been left on the sidelines when it comes to the big decisions even if those who favour the system will point to the 76% of delegates who backed the initiative as democracy in action.
As McConville rightly pointed out on the R.T.E. Sport podcast, the GRA would have known that change was afoot for some time and had not acted in time.
But even if they had would it have made any difference? As in many sports, it’s the participants who are often asked last – if at all – and I feel where the G.A.A. is concerned, there should have been more discussion with the players before bringing it to Congress and that critical vote.
And the obvious question to be posed is – was this change really necessary, particularly when it robs the All-Ireland Championship of the cut and thrust of knock-out competition at quarter-final level?
This column has argued in the past for changes in the Provincial system which, I believe, has staled to the point of the mundane with only a handful of counties – the same counties – making it through every year.
Sure, you’ll have the odd exception but when you see the likes of Dublin dominant in Leinster, Mayo and occasionally Galway in Connacht, Kerry or Cork in Munster, and Donegal and Tyrone in Ulster, making up the numbers, it surely must be time to change this aspect of the Championship.
It’s likely the weaker counties will still be left out in the cold when the new Super 8 system comes into operation but where the Provincial Championship is concerned this is where they’ve been, and will continue to be, if it continues the way it is.
As commentators much better versed than this one have stated, the GPA does deserve criticism for not taking a stand on the issue of the Super 8 before its implementation but I still believe there should have been more meetings around tables and a players’ vote before it was allowed filter through into the make-up of the Championship series albeit for a three year trial period.
CLAUDIO HOPPERS
Suddenly they’ve come good. Suddenly after a season, Champions League performances excepted, that was drifting out of their reach, Leicester City players picked the match that immediately followed the sacking of Claudio Ranieri to underline that they do, in fact, know how to play the game with a performance that went close to equalling some of last year’s title winning displays.
They won a huge following among the footballing fraternity – and even outside it – for that rags to riches story that culminated in claiming the ultimate crown in England.
But within seconds of the club dispensing with the services of the manager who led them to glory, they’d lost bucket-loads of the sympathy they were experiencing as they slipped down the table into relegation territory.
The star players, the likes of Vardy and Schmeichel, were quick off the mark to dismiss any suggestions that they had not been playing for the manager this season.
So how do they explain that performance against Liverpool the other night? It was a flash back to those herculean efforts last season – a reminder of what they were like in the good, but not so old, days. But they waited for the enforced departure of the Italian to produce it.
Some of us even went close to wishing for a Liverpool win on Monday evening.
And back at his home, the man who propelled Leicester City into legendary status must have been quietly musing – seething, perhaps, though that is not an emotion you’d imagine infiltrating the personality of Claudio Ranieri – at the change in attitude among the squad that he, largely, inherited from another manager who was given a raw deal at the King Power Stadium, Nigel Pearson, now, wholly ironically, being tipped as a possible replacement for Ranieiri.
R.T.E.’s Tony O’Donoghue was in Seville for last week’s Champions League first leg tie and noted the presence of a contingent of Irish fans who have jumped merrily on the Leicester bandwagon. The question to be asked is, even after Monday night, will they still be there if the Foxes drop into the Championship at the end of the season?
From fame to shame in one short year –take a bow Leicester City and keep your heads hanging low.
TRADING BOOT LACES
It shouldn’t be too tough a trade to switch from whatever else you might be watching on the television tonight and get a glimpse of how the other half lives. Or, to be more accurate, how two players switching codes for a week adapt to the changing conditions and rival sports.
Donegal viewers will, no doubt, be avidly switching on ‘The Toughest Trade’ on R.T.E. 2 (throw-in 9.30.p.m.) to view the footage of Michael Murphy in training and action for French Top14 outfit, Clermont Auvergne, and former Welsh rugby star, Shane Williams, lining out with Donegal Top 1 outfit, Glenswilly.
It’s one we’ve all been looking forward to – a taste of true reality television without the posers. Bring it on.
RUCK BOTTOM
And speaking of the oval ball game, not the most impressive performance by Ireland at the weekend but, nevertheless, a well deserved win over the French.
And what about England? Eddie Jones had promised his side would take Italy to the cleaners but could only stand and watch – though not admire – Conor O’Shea’s tactics in not contesting the ruck and creasing the foreheads of Dylan Hartley & Co. in the process. Result? Quiet afternoon at the Twickenham laundry.
Eddie has insisted if rugby persisted like this he would walk away from the sport.
How dare Italy not open up and allow the English to trample all over them.
Ruck on, boys.
SHEEP JIBE
Heading into Finn Park on Friday night at the Chestnut Road end of the ground and a contingent of Cork City supporters behind us started into the old ‘baaaa’ routine so beloved by fans of our close neighbours, Derry City.
One started up and then they all did….
