FOUR DONEGAL GREATS FEATURE IN BREHENY’S HALF CENTURY BACKLINE:
The well known and highly regarded G.A.A. pundit, Martin Breheny, who knows a thing or ten about the sport, has chosen his top fifty full-backs of the last half century and, absolutely, no surprise that a handful of Donegal players made their way onto the list.
Writing in Saturday’s ‘Irish Independent’, Breheny said the list was prompted by the decision of Dublin defender, Rory O’Carroll to mark himself absent from the team this year and how the All-Ireland champions would cope without him.
“It also generated a wider discussion about full-back play and how it has evolved over the years,” the ‘Independent’ journalist stated. For all the perceived changes, one basic requirement remained the same – “the No.3 has to provide the tightest security in the red zone in front of goal.”
Breheny chose Kerry’s John O’Keefe as the ultimate full-back – “the ultimately authorative No. 3” – but we have to go all the way down to the tenth slot to locate the first Donegal defender. Again, not surprising in many eyes, it’s Neil McGee, “the best full-back still playing at inter-county level?”, Breheny leaves the question mark hanging but goes on to suggest that Donegal’s style under Jim McGuinness and largely retained by Rory Gallagher boasted extensive defensive responsibilities but still required “specialist individual” skills.
“McGee has them in abundance, as recognised by three All-Star selections. Nor should be it be forgotten that he has been on the Donegal team since 2006.”
Three places below the Gweedore man on the list is Pauric McShea – Breheny quoting Brian McEniff to back up his assessment of the former Donegal captain: “Strong under the high ball, an exciting full-back, who was one of the first to carry the ball out of defence, even going on to take a return pass. Unheard of in those days,” McEniff once described the Ballyshannon man.
We have to pass down through the Seamus Moynihans, the Ray Prendergasts, the afore-mentioned Rory O’Carrolls, the Tony Scullions, the Francie Bellews, and others beside, before we come across the third Donegal player in the selection, Matt Gallagher at number thirty.
“He might not have kicked the ball in the historic 1992 All-Ireland final win over Dublin, “says Breheny, “but he still made a massive contribution. It was the high point of a 15-year inter-county career, when he made 147 appearances.”
Might not have kicked the ball? Not sure what he meant by that but we’ll gloss it over as Gallagher was indeed one of the stars of ’92.
And the final Donegal defender in the pack of fifty? The late Bernard Brady in at number 41. “Donegal didn’t make the Ulster breakthrough during his career in the ‘60’s but he enjoyed considerable success with Ulster,” Breheny referred to the Bundoran native who, sadly, passed away in 2010. Brady wore the number three shirt on each occasion he lined out for Donegal in the Ulster Championship from 1963 to 1968 and claimed a Sigerson Cup winners medal in a U.C.D. team that also included fellow Donegal player, Paul Kelly.
Always intriguing to read these listings of the best and this one was no exception and, no doubt, was, and is, the subject of some hot debate in the clubs, pubs and hubs of our fair county.
But that’s what it’s all about, isn’t?
Incidentally, and poignantly, Martin Breheny, picked the late Cormac McAnallen, as his final choice. “He would have been one of the truly great full-backs,” he insisted.
The Tyrone defender’s untimely passing in 2004 – is it that long ago? – deprived us of a chance of ever knowing.
HAS THE SKY FALLEN IN ON LOCAL SOCCER?
Even on an afternoon when his beloved Manchester United were trotting out at the home of their hated rivals, Liverpool, John Diver had other sporting fish to fry last Sunday.
I met him in the foyer of the Aura Leisure Complex as he was making his way out to the pitch to watch his even more beloved, Swilly Rovers, in action against their fierce derby rivals, the Rovers from Letterkenny.
Letterkenny Rovers team prior to their FAI Cup win over Dunboyne last week. Picture by North-West Newspix.
Not for John the easy pickings of a seat in front of the television to watch events from Anfield. “You have to support the local game,” the popular Ramelton man maintains.
And support it he does. But there weren’t too many on the sidelines with him. Indeed had it not been for the substitutes and officials, he would have been close to alone.
He blames the counter attractions provided by SKY Sports – aka, Liverpool/United – for the ever-dwindling fall-out in attendances at the local fixtures.
I can remember watching matches involving the two Rovers when hefty gates were the order of the day. Not any more it seems – the armchair and pub stool rules and were it not for the loyalty of the likes of John Diver there would be nobody watching them.
There is talk of a regional league set-up involving clubs from neighbouring counties but even that fresh scenario might not be enough to reignite the interest of the viewing – or in this case, non-viewing – public.
Letterkenny Rovers face Midleton, in the last sixteen of the Intermediate Cup next Sunday – scheduled again, I believe, for the Aura complex. It should, at least, attract, you’d hope, a sizeable attendance unless Everton and Swansea is a bigger draw than I thought.
Meanwhile, John Diver’s consolation after watching his Rovers go down to a 4-1 defeat in Letterkenny was to travel home with the news that Wayne Rooney had hammered home the winner for United at Anfield.
But much as that would have brought him real sporting joy, I’d guess he was still hurting at the loss suffered by the Lennonsiders.
That’s what you get when you’re a true follower of the game, grass roots and all.
BOOZE FROM THE CROWD AS GOOD FRIDAY BAN TO REMAIN?
Just when you thought the Vintners Federation of Ireland and the Licensed Vintners Association were renewing their call for the lifting of the ban on our pubs being allowed to open on Good Friday for the good of the tourist trade and the ending of discrimination, along comes the real issue at hand.
I had listened to a representative of the V.F.I. on R.T.E. radio on Monday morning calling for the current law to be reversed and outlining his reasons why this should be so – an argument to be fair they make virtually every year as we approach the Easter season.
But it was only later in the evening that I realised how this is particularly relevant on Good Friday 2016 – the fact that the Republic of Ireland are playing Switzerland in a friendly game at the Aviva Stadium as part of their build-up to the European Championships. And Dublin publicans are going to miss out big time because of the traditional annual closure.
It was almost added as an afterthought but you can imagine those pub owners in the capital anticipating the takings they would be reaping from supporters attending the game and why it was imperative to renew calls for an upturning of the Good Friday ban.
As someone who enjoys a pint, I still can’t in all honesty say it would hit me hard were I not to see the inside of a pub either before or after a game such as the Ireland/Switzerland encounter. And as a veteran of many a game in our capital city, soccer, Gaelic football and rugby, my reasons for attending were never to fill up at any of the watering holes nearby but primarily to enjoy the game – and more specifically the result.
It’s hasn’t stopped me entering said premises in the shadow of Croke Park or the former Lansdowne Road (or indeed those in the vicinity of Tolka Park, Dalymount Park or the Carlisle Grounds) when attending a match, of course, but were I find them all shut up for the evening, it wouldn’t cost me a thought (or the price of a pint which in Dublin terms, is indeed a price to pay).
And while I can totally understand why thousands of sports lovers do like to tie in a match with a scoop or two in the local hostiliery, would it make a significant difference to their lives were they were to miss out on this aspect of the match experience for once?
Yes, I can hear many respond, particularly those who operates the pubs and stand to lose out.
But in a country that is forever struggling in the dark depths of alcohol abuse, it’s surely not much of a price to pay.
ARSENE LICKING:
All true lovers of football want this to be Arsenal’s year. Not my words, I hasten to add, I’m just repeating them for what they’re worth and what they’re worth is anyone’s guess considering they emerged from the pen of that great socialist thinker, Eamonn McCann, in what went close to amounting to a love letter to Arsene Wenger and the Gunners.
Writing in his weekly column in the news section of the ‘Irish Times’ the Derry journalist – and no harm in it in the times that we live in – wrote of the “gap between the rich and the wretched”, insisting that the richest operate in a murky region beyond the reach of regulation.
Can’t argue with that. Just as we couldn’t in all honesty dispute his assertion of the “depressing” scenario of major clubs paying non-triers up to a million a month and endless “hoopla and hype” around what McCann called the “aptly-titled” transfer market. And “venerable clubs used as money-laundering operations by oligarchs bearing stolen millions” (perhaps, some of the same stolen money the very same Eamonn had accused no less a person than Mother Teresa of using and abusing in his column a couple of weeks ago).
In any case, against this background, McCann lauded the virtues of Wenger and his assistant at the Emirates, Boro Primorac – beacons, he declared, of “integrity, indomitable true believers in the spirit of the game. They have that very, very rare thing in top-flight football – ordinary decency,” claimed the great man.
But now, allow Liam Galbraith from Buncrana, to respond much better than I can as he did in a letter to the ‘Times’ a few days later:
“I’ve had my fill of Eamonn McCann. Down the years I have tried to hang in with his left-wing views. Not easy, said I. His valiant support of the downtrodden has often been lost in his grandstanding oratory, but that’s the price of passion, I told myself. His attempts to prevent the canonisation of Mother Teresa was a step too far, and so terribly unseasonal,” Liam wrote before going on to refer to the columnist’s call to support Arsene and his Gunners in the race for the Premiership title.
“Catch yerself on, as they say in Derry. Come on you Spurs!,” the Buncrana resident finally got to the nub of his argument.
But wait, all very good for Mr McCann to introduce his left-wing – well, all over the pitch to be honest – views in his appraisal of the Arsenal and the club’s management team.
But surely, lowly Leicester City, on the very brink of relegation last year but now mixing it with the big boys at the top, and with a manager, Claudio Ranieri, the very epitomy of integrity and ordinary decency, would persuade all true lovers of the game to want this to be THEIR year?
SEAN SIGNS ON:
Sean Houston in action for Derry City last season.
Houston, we have lift off! Or so Finn Harps followers will believe now that Ollie Horgan has captured the versatile Letterkenny man, Sean Houston, for the pending season.
Since leaving Harps to join U.C.D. on a scholarship, the talented player has lined out with Bray Wanderers and Derry City, but is now back on home soil and set to add his Premier League experience to the Finn Parkers.
He’s a player who always impressed me and was an undoubted loss when he left to join the students.
Not, we must hope, manager Horgan’s last significant signing before the big kick-off on March 4th and indeed he said as much in his welcome for Houston. “We still have work to do on the recruitment side of things but Sean coming on board is another step in the right direction.”
A few more steps required, of course.
MARKING THEIR CARDS FOR FRANCE:
Good to see some of the Irish players in the Premiership making their mark across the water in the midweek fixtures from last week. Jon Walters, Harry Arter, Shane Long (a target for Liverpool in the transfer window) and James McCean, all found the target for their respective clubs while Ipswich Town striker, Daryl Murphy, hit the winner for his side over Preston North End in the Championship at the weekend and, potential candidate for the Irish squad, Alan Judge, scored for Brentford, against Burnley on Friday night.
Not that it’s all about scoring but it sure helps the cause if you have players knowing where the goal is unlike the last time Ireland featured in the Euro Finals.
TENNIS SERVES UP A SCANDAL:
What’s this? Isn’t anything sacred? Match fixing at the top levels of tennis including – swallow your strawberries and cream quickly and hide yourself in the womens’ locker room, Sue Barker – at Wimbledon?
Soccer, athletics, and now tennis – the scandals aren’t going away any time soon.
We had Roger Federer calling on the authors of the report that suggested matches had, and were, being fixed, to name names. But unless proof is 100%, surely they couldn’t drag a player’s reputation through the mud or court appearances could find a whole new meaning.
No smoke without fire, of course, and this has come down like a forehand smash on the sport.
Shame, set and match.
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