LAST EIGHT AND COUNTING FOR ROVERS:
By half-time last Sunday afternoon, Letterkenny Rovers looked supremely assured of their place in the last eight of the F.A.I. Umbro Intermediate Cup. Leading by two goals to nil this was a performance a few pars above the one that got them to this stage in the first place.
But they say 2-0 is the worst scoreline possible because you go close to believing you have the match wrapped up and you’re passage to victory is inevitable.
In the end Rovers got there but after conceding a goal shortly after half-time, home fans (and there was a much healthier attendance there than had been the case for the game against Dunboyne in the previous round) were made to sweat right to the finish.
Not that Midleton were launching all out attacks but more so because they were raining a lot of set-pieces into the Rovers penalty area – some from needlessly conceded free-kicks – and were the home side as suspect under such deliveries as Liverpool F.C. are, it might have been a different story and they may have been replacing a trip into the next round with a long, long journey to Cork for a replay.
As it was Eamon McConigley’s men still looked comfortable and after that hugely impressive opening half at the Aura were fully deserving of advancing into that next round, the draw for which has yet to be made.
Rovers were unlucky not to have won a penalty when from a perfectly placed through ball (nice one, young Forker!) striker Steve Okakpu was brought down in the box. As clear a spot-kick as you’re ever likely to see though not clear enough, obviously, for referee Terence Moyne.
Not long before that, the Cork side had their own vigorous and justified appeals for a penalty turned away – Paul Boyle unable to yank his hand away in the box from a goal bound effort.
But, as anyone who was there will readily testify, the highlight of the afternoon was that magnificent half-volley from Paul McVeigh that edged Rovers in front inside the opening ten minutes. A thing of beauty and not something you could say about the home side’s second goal, bundled over the line by the ever alert, Darren McElwaine.
I got chatting to Seamus McBrearty from Kilcar just before kick-off – father of Donegal stars, Patrick and Stephen. A training session at the O’Donnell Park had brought him to Letterkenny and he opted to drop into the Aura for the Cup clash. And, like the rest of us, thoroughly enjoyed that first half display and the end result. Here’s to the next round.
DONEGAL ATTEMPT TO LOOK THE PART:
New year, new jerseys, new sponsors, new squad additions, new Allianz National League campaign getting underway this weekend.
Contrasting opinions on the new gear which has almost transformed the Donegal team into Norwich City (involved in a result at the weekend that matched a few G.A.A. fixtures in scoring terms). Always take some time to get used to new rigs and I suppose we all will eventually but…
What doesn’t take too much time is the younger G.A.A. fans pawing at their parents’ and their purses and looking for the readies to invest in one of the new jerseys. It’s getting like the English Premiership in that respect but the manufacturers and the sporting retail trade aren’t complaining – not when they see the euros come marching through the door and the jerseys exiting to new homes.
But that’s what happens when one sponsor is replaced by another. Credit to Donegal Creameries for all the investment they put into the county set-up – now it’s the turn of the KN Group to pour in the necessary and milk the dividends.
Donegal Creameries could not have wished for a better involvement – two years after having its name etched in writing on the Donegal jerseys, Jim McGuinness took his team to the All-Ireland Final and arrived home with the big prize for only the second time in the county’s history.
The KN Group can only dream of such a scenario as things stand and performances and results in the recent McKenna Cup will hardly have had their representatives eagerly booking accommodation in Dublin for September.
The one team Donegal did overcome in that tame trio of games was this weekend’s opponents, Down, but Rory Gallagher’s mixture of the old and the new will face a sterner test in Newry on Saturday evening.
Down hit 2-20 against St. Mary’s in their final outing in the McKenna Cup group stages – a team Donegal largely struggled against and were restricted to just eight points.
But the National League’s a different ball game and I fancy Norwich City to return with full points in the kit bag.
Meanwhile, good to see the Competitions Control Committee has decided that a draw will be staged for this year’s Senior and Intermediate Championships, as opposed to the group scenario from last year.
As county P.R.O., Ed Byrne, insisted, it keeps things fresh and adds a bit of anticipation to the whole competition.
LAUGHTER IN CHURCH AT MALACHY’S FAREWELL GIG
They were bringing up the Offertory gifts at Malachy Keeney’s funeral mass in the Church of the Irish Martyrs in Letterkenny last Thursday afternoon when chief celebrant, Fr. Ciaran Harkin, referred to the Tottenham Hotspur jersey which was one of the items being brought to the altar.
“It just shows that while Malachy knew his music he knew nothing about football!,” quipped the cleric who earlier in his homily had evoked tears of laughter amongst the congregation with some of the anecdotes from the Letterkenny man’s colourful fifty-nine years in this life.
Another sporting link came in the reminder of the time the popular musician worked with HB Ice Cream – he appeared in court on one occasion after a collision with an RU.C. patrol and after putting his case as only Malachy could he became something of a “cause celebre’ among the police force and was thereafter known as the Ice Cream Man – but didn’t quite see eye to eye with his then regional manager, one Liam Tuohy, better known in his role as former Republic of Ireland international and manager. Ice Cream Man or not, our Malachy wasn’t someone who would lick up to anyone – even his renowned boss.
It was as uplifting a funeral ceremony as you can get though it couldn’t in the end detract from the fact that we lost him all too soon.
But what a send-off and what a range of musical talent, not surprisingly, involved in the funeral mass, not least Mal’s brother, Christy, who played ‘Danny Boy’ on the fiddle near the end of the ceremony and wrung the heartstrings in the process.
COLEMAN MISFIRES:
Had Seamus Coleman sent that late chance over the bar for CLG Na Cealla Beaga there would, at least, have been a point in it.
As it was, there was no point, no goal, and in the end a defeat for Everton in their league clash with Swansea City at the weekend.
But, oh, what a miss. The Killybegs man had had a decent chance shortly beforehand that went close to bringing the Toffees level but the one he ballooned over the bar from a metre or so out with just about the last kick of the game was truly an opportunity not to savour (unless, of course, you happen to be a Swansea fan).
Ironically, the Irish international was the top scoring defender in the English Premiership last season but hasn’t registered a goal as yet this campaign.
What’s the betting he’ll knock one in against Manchester City in tonight’s League Cup semi-final second leg tie?
ALLI SHUFFLE
Like many viewers, I was picking my jaw off the floor after Dele Alli had netted his wonder goal against Crystal Palace at the weekend. A lob over the defender and a volley that was going nowhere but the back of the net – you don’t see strikes that like too often.
Well, you do if you’ve followed big Brendan Bradley’s career and were present for either of two games during that time. One of the thirteen goals he struck for Lincoln City in a match against Reading was hailed by the English ‘Daily Mirror’ (I saw a copy of it at the time) as “stunning” and by all accounts was the Alli shuffle of its time and no doubt also came in for high tributes from other publications and broadcasters of the era. Had he not returned home, ironically, he could have played with the Spurs who were reportedly interested in luring him to White Hart Lane. An Alli before his time.
As mentioned before in this column, Bradley’s first match back with his beloved Finn Harps for the1972/73 League of Ireland season saw him score what he still describes as his best ever goal – the deftest of lobs over Shelbourne defender, Ray O’Brien, before repeating the feat with a flick over goalkeeper, Paddy Roche, and burying the ball in the net. Classic – and I know, I was there to see it.
Young Alli only managed to lift it over the one player. But, here, I shouldn’t take anything away from him or his goal. Outstanding is as good a description as any for the Tottenham ace’s effort.
I just hope the English media don’t build him up before his time as they have done with previous young talents who then have failed to live up to the hype, invariably because of the pressure imposed on them.
That said, Alli looks the real deal and England could have some genuine quality at France 2016.
UNITED IN APATHY:
Devils versus Saints and the Devils go down fighting again. Fighting, that is, against playing any cohesive game and certainly any attacking football that was once the norm at Old Trafford where teams now arrive with that ease of confidence that comes when you know you’re up against a side that struggles to put a pass together never mind launch an attack.
And still I felt sorry for Louis van Gaal when he trudged off the pitch at the end, the boos and jeers ringing in his ears as yet another goal-less home performance was this time outmatched by a visiting goal. A Southampton debut to remember for Charlie Austin.
But the Reds go marching on into further disarray – that win at Anfield soon forgotten when generally United fans dine out on such successes for months afterwards.
I can’t see the Dutchman surviving too much longer, particularly if his charges whimper out of the F.A. Cup at Derby County this Friday night.
Could Alex Ferguson – his shadow still looming out from the Old Trafford stands – be persuaded to take over in a caretaker capacity until the end of the season?
CHELSEA ORR NOBODY (APART FROM THE HARPS)!
It’s generally not too difficult to listen to true blues man Martin Orr when he’s performing on stage as he does quite frequently. Never more than in his, and his fellow musicians, weekly residency in the Voodoo on Letterkenny’s Lower Main Street of a Sunday evening.
But best to steer clear if you’re an Arsenal fan on the day when Martin’s beloved Chelsea disposed of them at the Emirates and the television screens around the premises were showing highlights and reaction and our Martin kept repeating the scoreline: “Arsenal O, Chelsea 1”, “Arsenal. O, Chelsea 1.”
Not that it was any better if you were a Manchester United supporter as later in the set, Martin recalled the scoreline – with some serious glee it has to be said – from the previous day: “Manchester United 0, Southampton 1.”
A great gig despite all that and a healthy fund-raiser for the Donegal Centre for Independent Living.
MAEVE RETURNS THIRTY YEARS ON:
I believe all tickets have been sold out for the Donegal Sports Star Awards this coming Friday night in the Mount Errigal Hotel. No surprise there as this is truly the gala night of the year where sporting achievements are heralded and individuals and teams are hailed.
True to say that every single nominee on the night is deserving of the plaudits and likewise those who work from one end of the year to the next to organise the whole thing.
This year, they had an added difficulty when one of the country’s great Olympians, Ronnie Delany, pulled out from his scheduled guest appearance at the event but was quick to help secure a replacement in the form of another Irish Olympic legend, Maeve Kyle, athlete and hockey international extraordinaire.
Not her first appearance at a Donegal Sports Star Awards – she was also the guest of honour back in 1986 when the event was staged in the former Milford Inn.
Boxer Patrick O’Donnell from Gweedore won the big one on that particular night – who will be punching the air in 2016?
I don’t even think Maeve Kyle knows the answer to that one.
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