Walshy on Wednesday:
A much improved result for the Harps last week after five defeats on the bounce. Flooded the midfield and kept Sligo Rovers swimming against the tide. But you don’t get points for twenty-two minutes of work and so yet another game goes into the fixture logjam.
Harps supporters would have been envisaging a much needed win in their next outing which, up to this week, was scheduled to be rock bottom, Longford Town, in Ballybofey the weekend after next. No certainties in football, however, and now it transpires that it will be Dundalk instead who provide – barring a replay required in their F.A.I. Cup quarter-final tie with U.C.D. after this Friday – the opposition at Oriel Park on Monday night after the postponed game from August 15th was rescheduled.
We may consequently have to wait a few more days for that elusive break in the losing cycle.
But wouldn’t this be just the type of game that Ollie Horgan’s charges shatter all expectations? The type of match that Harps could take advantage of a side with one or both eyes on pending Europe League commitments? In short, the surprise result of the season.
No, the chorus goes loudly, this after all being the same Dundalk side that blew Harps away at Finn Park on Friday 13th in May, the sides sharing seven goals with Stephen Kenny’s men forgetting the true concept of actually sharing.
With Cork City still shadowing the leaders in the quest for the Premier League title, Kenny won’t be complacent and it’s clear it’s going to take the mightiest of efforts to return from Louth with anything but a respectable scoreline. But, like I say, no certainties in football.
Meanwhile, Cork brought Bray Wanderers galloping run, which has seen them leapfrog over the ailing Harps in the past month, to an emphatic end last weekend – a glimmer of hope for Harps who keep the Wicklow side in their sights as a result.
But they can’t be relying on other sides to help them stave off relegation as the season advances towards the critical stages.
Limerick F.C., meanwhile, have already clinched automatic promotion from the First Division and remain unbeaten after 22 games of the campaign. A remarkable run and one that also should reinforce Harps achievement in overcoming a first leg defeat in that play-off at the business end of last season to clinch promotion at the expense of the then Premier Division outfit.
Some of that spirit – all of it indeed – that earned them promotion on that memorable night in Ballybofey must become evident in the closing stages of the current campaign if they are to avoid a return to the shadowlands of the First Division. And perhaps even, a starting place for the forgotten man, B.J. Banda, in some of the key games coming up.
COLEMAN DELIVERS:
Much debate on whether Seamie Coleman should have been alert to playing the Serbians onside in those nervy final minutes but linesmen have been known to get it wrong and with some of the officialdom decisions on Monday night highly debatable to say the least he probably thought it better to retreat to the line. Sound decision as it turned out – the Killybegs full-back hacking the ball clear from Ivanovic’s clear-cut opening which should surely would have given the home side the points in Belgrade and, let’s be frank, deservedly so.
Sure, the pitch was poor – even the Sligo Showgrounds last Saturday night would have shaded it – but it was poor for both sides and Serbia certainly looked the better on it.
Plenty of panic in the Irish ranks but little precision passing as we had seen in Euro 2016 and in the end that ten minute spell that saw the visitors play their best football of an otherwise ragged evening led to Daryl Murphy’s debut international goal and a precious point on the road.
Wales, meanwhile, opened their Group D campaign with true intent – a 4-0 walloping of admittedly a weak Moldovan side signalling that they, and Austria (also winners on Monday evening) will be our chief rivals in the race to finish in pole position for World Cup qualification.
But both the Welsh and Austrians might also find that Budapest pitch difficult to play on and Ireland’s result might, on future reflection, look a fairly positive one.
THE TRUEST OF HEROES:
Writing in the match programme for last week’s Republic of Ireland friendly against Oman, Sean Ryan highlighted Dundalk’s run in the Champions League and how the 3-0 demolition of competition regulars, Bate Borisov had helped raised public perception of the domestic league to an all-time high. There were, he noted, also the performances by Cork City who came through two qualifying rounds in the Europa League before bowing out.
But it was not just on the field of play that Irish soccer received favourable notice, the well known journalist maintained, and here, he ventured into an incident as far removed from goals and glamour as it is possible to get.
Here he recalled the tragedy at Buncrana pier on Sunday March 20th and the all too vivid images of the car and its six passengers “sliding on the algae-infested ramp into a watery grave.”
The media had highlighted, he said, the bravery of onlooker Davitt Walsh who had risked his life to swim out to the sinking vehicle and had taken baby Rioghnach-Ann from the arms of her doomed father, Sean McGrotty, and swam back to safety holding the baby out of the water before reaching the pier.
“Even then, Davitt suffered injuries to his feet, as they were cut on the stones of the pier as he scrambled to where his girl friend, Stephanie, took the baby in her arms and wrapped it in the warmth of her coat.
“Davitt , as it turned out, wasn’t just any hero – he was an Irish football hero,” Ryan remarked.
“The Donegal native had seen service with Derry City, Finn Harps, Bohemians and Shelbourne, and only that morning lined out with his Fanad United Ulster Senior League team against Letterkenny Rovers, scoring too.
“When Stephen Kenny, the Dundalk manager, was praising his players, he highlighted the great character which they displayed. It was this virtue – character – which Davitt Walsh also showed in abundance as he swam in the chilly waters of Lough Foyle to rescue baby Rioghnach-Ann,” the former ‘Irish Independent’ journalist declared.
A fitting tribute indeed even if, I’d hazard to say, the courage shown by the Kerrykeel born footballer ranked much higher than anything we have ever seen on a football pitch.
QUARTER-FINAL TIPS:
After the disappointment for Donegal in the All-Ireland series, the county needs a good Championship finale and it looks like it has got it with some highly anticipated quarter-final ties in the melting pot.
The Saints of Eunan’s marched on against their counterparts of St. Michael’s to claim a last eight place against, as Monday’s draw revealed, Naomh Conaill, a repeat of last year’s Final. Should be as close a contest as that one was with, this time, the Letterkenny outfit winning out.
Meanwhile, many pundits’ tip for the title, Kilcar, will go into battle against Termon. Shock result anyone? Perhaps not but it will be another keenly contested game.
It’s Glenswilly to see off MacCumhaill’s in the third quarter-final and Dungloe to ease past Malin.
But don’t take my predictions at face value. I forecast the sports editor would give me a raise and that hasn’t happened yet either….
BRENDAN MOTORS ON:
“There’s quare power in it,” Fanad man John ‘Og’ Friel points to his Audi 2.6.
And much more power to come on board when Olympic walker, Brendan Boyce, climbs into the back of it.
It’s the Tesco car-park in Letterkenny on Friday evening where a contingent has gathered to welcome home one of the county’s heroes from Rio.
Four years previously, John had brought along his green machine convertible to transport the Milford man on his cavalcade to his home town via Ramelton, Rathmullan,and other points besides following the London Olympics.
Now it was time to greet the returning Olympian from his exploits in the 50k walk where he finished 19th overall – another Olympics, another welcome home party.
“We watched the race in McBride’s pub,” dad, Manus (Mandy) revealed when I enquired if he and spouse, Margaret, had made the journey to Brazil. Close enough.
Conditions were very hot, he insisted (presumably more so in Rio than in McBride’s pub). “And then it was lashing rain for the next couple of days,” Margaret pointed out. Now that’s more like home.
As Brendan poses for endless photographs, he declares he was happy with his performance in the end. “I’m pleased the way the race panned out,” he said, indicating that he’d only got a chance to go through all the Twitter messages earlier that day which emphasised his achievement in finishing in the top twenty.
“They were the toughest conditions I’ve ever raced in but as far I’d be concerned the hotter it is the better for me.”
So it’s likely that the warmest of receptions are also welcomed. Another double Olympian, Danny McDaid, arrives on the scene prior to the cavalcade setting off.
There’s a warm embrace between the two. “ Getting to be a habit this,” says Danny who had also been present to greet his fellow Olympian four years ago.
Others in attendance include the Letterkenny Community Games trio of Michael and Mary Crossan and national President, Gerry Davenport. The Games has a tee-shirt with the logo: “Endless Possibilities”. Brendan Boyce, a former participant, is the undoubted proof of that.
The season isn’t over yet for Brendan. He’s off to China at the end of the month for a Tour de France like event though not lasting as long. It’s a race run over four days with respective stages and the overall time at the end deciding the winner.
“I’m looking forward to it – it’ll be something different,” he maintains.
Nothing different about the homecoming trail which, led by members of the Milford motor cycle club, sets off to take in the various towns and townlands it did those quartet of years previously.
Brendan is perched up in the back of the Audi 2.6 along with his mum while his day occupies the passenger seat alongside John ‘Og’.
I didn’t make it for the rest of the homecoming but the likes of the Irish team manager and athletics, kingpin, Patsy McGonagle, himself fresh back from the Rio experience, did along with the chairman of Letterkenny A.C., Michael Galvin, who addressed, along with other local notables including the afore-mentioned Danny, the official presentation in Milford Parochial Hall.
All of them, apparently, talked a good talk and heaped the tributes on the man who walks a good walk.
APPLAUDING ROBBIE (NOT FORGETTING SHAY):
Only decided to take in Robbie Keane’s farewell game in an Irish shirt on the morning of the game and I was glad I did.
A fitting send-off to who I still believe is a largely unheralded international striker beyond these shores despite the fact that he went into the game against Oman with a haul of 67 goals and emerged from it with another added to that impressive list.
A typically well taken goal to conclude his international career though I still think he could have improved on that cartwheel celebration.
Substituted in the second half, it took him a full ninety seconds to reach the sidelines as players queued up to shake his hand and the crowd saluted the Tallaght tallysman.
The match programme, mentioned elsewhere in this week’s column, naturally had plenty to say about the man of the moment but there was also a two page spread on our own, Shay Given, and his contribution to the Irish cause at the other end of the pitch.
In the article, Brian de Salvo, a regular contributor to the Finn Harps programme, highlighted the Lifford stopper’s “enviable record for clean sheets” which included four shut-outs towards the tail end of the season which helped Swindon Town to the English Second Division title – Given was on loan with the club at the time – and a dozen clean sheets in seventeen appearances during a loan spell with Sunderland which helped earn the club the First Division Championship.
De Salvo quoted former Irish defender and current media pundit, Kevin Kilbane, who described Shay as the “best shot stopper” he had ever seen boasted by lighting reactions and an unquenchable work ethic.
No arguments there though I still wonder if he got the recognition he deserved from a Dublin media that, too often, reserves its glowing tributes to one of their own.
EUROPEAN TIE!:
Quirky story from former L.O.I. footballer, Stewart Byrne, in his weekly column in the ‘Irish Daily Mirror’ on Friday.
He recalled a late night departure from Dublin Airport with his then team, Shelbourne, for a Europa League match in Slovenia. Before the scheduled take-off he had sought out a shop that was still open in the terminal but could only locate a Tie Rack.
In he went, nevertheless, and deliberated on whether to purchase one of the ties before deciding against and heading off to the departure gates only to find out to his dismay, when asked by security, that he didn’t have his passport on him.
He could only he surmised have left it in Tie Rack and so he rushed back to the store. But they don’t keep them open all night and when Byrne arrived, the shutters were down! And, worse, he could see his passport sitting on the counter inside the shop!
A security guard was unable to help acquire keys for the premises but he did supply the Shels player with a coat-hanger – Byrne twisting it into the relevant shape that would allow him to push it through the shutters. And after a painstaking effort, he somehow managed to get a grip on the passport and pull it through. Result? Shelbourne weren’t going to be without their influential midfielder for that European tie (and never was that phrase more aptly used!).
THE ENDURANCE MEN:
Why do they put their bodies through it? I’m asking this question again after another couple of endurance achievements by two of Donegal’s finest, two of Letterkenny’s finest indeed.
First, there was Aidan Callaghan claiming the title of middle distance national champion after completing the gruelling – that word probably doesn’t even do it justice – Triathlon in Kenmare, County Kerry. That’s a 1,900 metres swim, an 80 km cycle and a 21 km run to put it into statistical perspective. A mighty achievement but just what sort of training and commitment goes into such an effort?
And then there was Jason Black. Completing the Race around Ireland cycle last Sunday and doing so to help raise funds and awareness for the Donegal Autism Family Support Group.
Despite suffering excruciating pain in his feet, Jason continued to finish the event. “In life you have three choices, give up, give in, or give it your all,” he insisted during the stamina draining cycle.
Total distance he and his fellow riders cycled? 2,150 kms.
Me? I couldn’t even cycle around a map of Ireland.
