Championship

Gaelic football was dragged deep down to a dark and dangerous place last Sunday

August 30th, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

Away back in 1982 Seamus Darby of Offaly scored the goal that rocked a Kingdom. His late late rocket of a shot deprived Kerry of a historic five in a row All Ireland wins. That is probably the most famous goal ever scored. Two years later one of the greatest players ever to grace the game Matt Connor a member of that Offally team was paralyzed following a serious car crash. He never again kicked a football. And it was the words of a great Kerry supporter in relation to Matt's injury which came to mind as I watched the awful display between Donegal and Dublin last Sunday. The late Bernie o Connell of Valentia Island, a great friend, remarked to me years later as we talked about the Darby goal. "The Gods of Gaelic Football assured that Matt Connor won an All Ireland medal". Bernie was adamant that fate played a huge part in the goal. And those very same Gods were working overtime last Sunday as they now assured a Kerry/ Dublin final. Had Colm McFadden's shot been inches lower just after half time and finished in the Dublin net then we would be looking forward to another fourteen men behind the ball in the final. Perish the thought.  Fate had again intervened.  Bernie was right.   

Gaelic football was dragged deep down to a dark and dangerous place last Sunday as Dublin and Donegal slugged it out to meet Kerry in the final. In all my years watching the game and I have seen a fair few including local and intercounty this was the most depressing, ugly, boring and negative I have ever witnessed. Of course what we saw was expected as Donegal and Dublin to a lesser extent had used these tactics to reach the semi final. Nevertheless what unfolded on our TV sets was a disgraceful display of negativity and if the authorities expect supporters to spend their hard earned cash on this type of stuff then they are greatly mistaken. It will be intresting to see if Croke Park authorities come out and openly criticize the tactics used especially by Donegal.  Using one or two extra men behind the ball is understandable and part and parcel of all counties in this day and age.

Croke Park are very quick to suspend players and  fine managers  and demand apologies as they did recently in relation to one player's comments regarding the awarding of a controversial point.  If what we saw last Sunday is not considered bringing the game into disrepute then we might as well accept this as the proper way to promote football. And where will that leave us?  Jim McGuinness the Donegal manager is of course well within his rights to use whatever tactics he wishes. He is a sincere, genuine and passionate Donegal man and will do what he can to bring success to his county. The game has been deteriorating for the past twenty years or so. The over use of the hand pass is a lot to blame.  Donegal used 242 hand passes; I have often been told that the game of the fifties and sixties was old fashioned stuff. "Sure it was only all catch and kick boring to watch". Yes it was a game mainly of catch and kick but it was a thousand times better than what we saw last Sunday.

But to a lighter note and back to the Kerry/ Mayo game. Long before the full time whistle was sounded in Croke Park that Sunday week with Kerry past the post and into yet another All ireland final the mobile phones were buzzing around the vast stadium. Plans for the near annual exodus for all Kerry people were already under way.  I met up with a group of young Kerry ladies beautifully decked out in their county colors and faces painted green one side of the nose and gold the other. Gathered in a group outside the main entrance I fell into conversation with them and already with Jack o Connor probably still attending post match interviews they had the weekend of the final organized down to the last detail. Well with one minor matter yet to be finalized, tickets for the game.  The mobile phone is a mighty weapon.

A city centre hotel had been booked for a group of seven, train tickets had been secured on line, whatever time was required from the work places had been organized because as they informed me the Monday following the final was their favourite day especially if victory was accomplished.  However one major headache remained and that was, how were they going to secure tickets for the game.  Indeed the ticket debate will be the battle cry from supporters far and wide as the big day draws near. And as I bad farewell to these wonderful passionate young lady fans of the Kingdom I marveled at the massive changes that had taken place since I attended my first final in 1955 Dublin and Kerry.  There lies another great story for a later date. 

The medial hype for this final will probably surpass anything that has gone before and the players and management will be inundated with requests for interviews, appearances here there and everywhere.  Requests to stand in for promotional photographs, autographs, signing footballs, jerseys, etc. is just the tip of the iceberg which the players will be subjected to in the intervening weeks. Jack o Connor and his selectors will have the responsibility of attempting as far as possible to shield the players from most of this hype and maniacal build up. It promising to be another unique chapter in the storied history of our county. Now that the longed for final against Dublin has materialized I firmly believe the amount of pre publicity before the game will surpass anything we have ever seen before. 



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