Not so long ago in this space, mention was made of the wonderful decision it has turned out to be for each division of the National Football League to have its own final. As a result of same, teams such as Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Wicklow, Wexford, Sligo, Fermanagh and Carlow have all got days out in the nation’s greatest stadium.
Two points to make at this juncture – yes, there were probably other teams that achieved similar feats whom I just cannot recall. Apart, that is, from Derry, who went from Div. 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 in consecutive campaigns under the stewardship of he whom we dare not mention, even though the individual remains one of the finest coaches in the game. It would appear that the dictum about one being presumed innocent until proven otherwise in the pertinent setting only applies where it suites.
The second thing to note is how Derry and Louth, in particular, kicked on after their initial league wins. Going all the way to and winning the Div. 1 Final before being brutally hard done by in an All Ireland semi final against Kerry.
One could of course point out that the fortunes of the Oak Leaf County have oscillated wildly since the ousting of the referred to ostracised manager but then of course, there are none so deaf as those who do not desire to hear. Another inalienable truth would appear to be the following – that, even a year and a half into their use, there are still some teams far less efficient at availing of two-point scores than others.
More than that, from scanning matches across the divisions throughout the league, it becomes apparent that not only is there a large disparity in the alacrity of teams at scoring two pointers, as you go lower down the divisions, teams even attempting the doubles are noticeably more sparse.
Is there a corelation between aptitude of both Donegal and Meath at long range scores and the fact both of them claimed league titles? Most likely. But it’s not a hard and fast guide either. One need merely look at the Div. 4 and 3 Finals which, if the old remembering box is working any way right, there were no more than four converted doubles over the course of the two games played in Drumcondra on Saturday.
In contrast, the two denominations of green and gold referred to above have been firing off long range scuds like they were going out of fashion, not just coming into it. You would imagine that, if they hadn’t even twigged it by now, all comers will eventually reason with the value of two pointers and develop the confidence to have a crack at them.
That said, as if to underline the fact the Jim Gavin Gospel is predicated on favouring and promoting attacking football, the role of goalkeepers in the game has now become unrecognisable to that from the days of John O’Leary and Finbarr McConnell and even Cormac Sullivan when donning rugby forwards’ boots and lashing the pigskin as far as one could make it propel itself was page one, point one of how to be a goalkeeper.
From there, it evolved to keeper/specialist kicker in the guise of an American Football kicker as espoused by the incomparable Stephen Cluxton and Niall Morgan. Tyrone’s Morgan, though, took that evolution a step further by being the first netminder to run with, literally, the concept of ‘fly’ ‘keeper (last man back) which has been the creed of the schoolyard since God was a gasun.
Who out of Morgan or Rory Beggan pulls the role off better? Probably a futile debate, which, rather than being had, time would be much better spent just admiring the class of both at what they do. It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but in this instance I’d label it more cloning than imitation.
The difference between the two being that other ‘keepers like Conor Carroll of Roscommon and Galway’s Conor Gleeson and – to a lesser extent – Billy Hogan from Meath last season, in that they had no bother gettimg involved in and/or scoring from open play.
It was the sort of development which made you pine for what it would have been like if, say, O’Leary or Sully or David Gallagher – all of whom played outfield for their clubs – were on the go in the current era.
Mind you, it now appears that even that was too much excitement for whomever it was that came up with the idea of keeping four players at the back, not allowing two points for a 45 or four for a goal.
However, in fairness to the goalkeepers of the nation, and team managers, they have again recalibrated so as to ensure that custodian’s influences remain fundamental to the rudiments of how the game is now played.
In fact, so pronounced is a goalkeeper’s impact on matches now that what was once the be all and end all of their duty list, shot stopping, is now filed under any other business.
Kickouts. It all revolves around kickouts. Not in the same sense as when Mickey Harte and Jim McGuinness poisoned Gaelic football with blanket defences and death by handpass.
But of critical importance all the same. The great Geezer might describe it as piggery, but, even though it is fantastic to see good old fashioned aerial battles around midfield, it has presented goalies with a new set of challenges which they must overcome to maintain their overall input to matches.
Plus, in the current climate, getting kickouts away has never been more important, or challenging. Which, unsurprisingly, has led to kickout malfunctions being more common than at any other time in the game.
Thus, cognisance of the fact that the definition of stupidity is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different outcomes, goalies are being forced to think, and act, fast.
The fact that Meath’s Sean Brennan is extremely self analytical and critical can be vouched for owing to a closeness one is honoured and priviliged to be bequeathed with to some of those within the camp.
So you can be sure the Dunderry man will be seething that a number of his restarts went out over the sideline.
As in, in attempting to avoid the piggery and other traps in the game as it now is requires Luke Littler-like precision in isolating and hitting targets in restarting play. Which Seanie has done to a tee pinpointing Sean Rafferty, Brian O’Halloran, Sean Coffey or Ciaran Caulfield when needed.
Yet the burgeoning grandson of the legendary grandad also deserves the utmost commendation for the manner in which he has learned on the go and adapted his kickout where needed.
Oh, and he’s not a bad scoring option either. Let others do as they wish but if the option is there, make mine a double!