GAA 24 September 1997
Bank of Ireland All Ireland
By the sports editor Football Final Preview John Melvin
Dear Diary,
I threw you away in disgust around this time last year. I did not have the courage to open you since. By the same token, I didn't think this time last year I would be consulting you again so soon. But it is important that I get my thoughts down, just in case I'm run over by a herd of Bison or I am found drowned in the Sam Maguire Cup on Sunday night.
I note that my last entry read after the we lost by a single point (2-8 to 1-11) in the replayed final with Meath. It read
"There is no All-Ireland this year for mayo. There may be no All-Ireland next year either, or indeed for a few years to come, but any mayo person who felt the emotional cocktail of joy, sorrow, pain and undying pride that hung in the Croke Park air on Sunday will know only too well, that this Mayo team will be back. They owe it to themselves after a long year which sees them looking with vacant faces into empty palms and shattered dreams. Nobody sees a runners-up medal. It can provide some comfort but it won't kill the pain in the heart. We must not abandon this Mayo team".
And we did not. Nor they, us. But I would be less than honest in thinking they would be back so soon. It was very hard to look into the deep dark pit of despair that swallowed up the county after losing last years's All Ireland, not once, but twice. It hurt. To heap insult on top of injured pride, Mayo were called whingers. That hurt too. And while John Maughan may be accused of being many things, he's not a whinger nor does he make empty promises.
He said this team would be back. And back they are to put the record straight in Croke Park. Whingers we never were or never will be. And in my opinion they are bigger, better and more determined than ever. And, dear diary, the following are the reasons why I think this Mayo team will bring home the Same Maguire Cup, a trophy that generations have thirsted for in this county since 1951, and which will give birth a new generation of Mayo football as we head towards the millennium.
I mentioned in a piece after last year's final that 'lack of cuteness' cost Mayo on both occasions.
Cuteness
Of course, Kerry wrote the original book on cuteness but I have no doubt that Mayo have taken a couple of leaves from that book in their championship run this year, and it is going to be a key factor at the end of the day. I'm not going to attempt to dwell on individual battles on Sunday. Where players will end up could be anybody's guess. That's where the cuteness comes in. But I don't think there are too many that will argue against the fact that Mayo have a very good defence and an exceptional half-back line this year. That is one area that has improved. The emergence of Fergal Costello has been a key factor in that development and his ability to come forward and score points is a huge bonus. Noel Connelly too has improved on last year and James Nallen is without doubt one of the finest, if not the finest, centre back in the country. Okay, Kevin Cahill's absence at full back is a minus point. But has pat Holmes not fulfilled the role adequately? I think so. I also think we have a better man between the post this yer. Peter Burke is a commanding figure, has a fine kick out and has given away very little.
Some sections of the media have honed in on Dermot Flanagan as the weak point of the defence. A blind man can see at 36 he does not have the pace or recovery powers of a man ten, or even fifteen years his junior. I would argue that it is now more than ever Mayo need the leadership qualities of Flanagan at the back. He has a great footballing brain. At times, that can outpace any forward.
Midfield
And so we come to the great imponderable of midfield. Kerry know they have problems in this area. For a county that prided itself on some of the greatest midfielders in the game, it seems they are running low on big, strong fielders who can move with the ball and that is why I think we have the beating of Dara O'Sé and William Kirby.
It's a tremendous bonus for Mayo that Pat Fallon is emerging in such fine shape this year. His absence last year seems to be his main motivating force and I'm expecting another big game from the Balla man. It is an interesting partnership with David Heaney. Heaney may not reach the same heights as Fallon but he does the work on the ground and can ship the tackles, which is a vital element in the midfield battle for supremacy. Of course, Heaney is also a player that can be switched to defence, or even attack, and that is why I expect he will start again. This year we have so many option.
Deadline
Due to printing deadlines this preview was written on Friday. I assume the team has bene announced by now and it was generally anticipated that possibly one, if indeed any, change would be been made from the side which beat Offaly. And I know David Brady is pushing his heart, body and soul to the limit to be on that team. It is hard to ignore his determination, but I expect he could be a trump card on the day. Is it not great that we have such quality bench with players like Diarmuid Byrne, P.J. Loftus, John Casey and Ronan Golding all pushing hard for places.
And I suppose if we were to reflect on last year, we did not have the bench nor a corner forward of the quality of Ciaran McDonald to rely on for our scores.
Kerry do have some handy forwards. We are all well aware of the skill and sheer class of Maurice Fitzgerald. If Fitzgerald turns the lock, Kerry could spring into action. The job of containing him is going to be crucial and could very well fall in the lap of Kenneth Mortimer.
But so too is the job of containing McDonald. Just think what might have been had we him last year? That's history, What is important is that we have him this year. And in brilliant shape. We also have David Nestor, a small tiger with a big bite and a huge heart allied to a voracious appetite for hard work. He won't need motivating.
I see his role as crucial on the half forward line and I won't be one bit surprised if John Casey gets the nod before James Horan.
It is a tough call to make, but in an All Ireland, ever call is tough. Horan's form has not been good. Casey has to prove a point. I would like to see him in the corner. I could see him work well with McHale. Diarmuid Byrne, who has been showing up well in recent challenge games is another serious option.
And of course McHale. Well what more can be said that has not already been said. Acres of print room have bene given to the man who wears the number 14 but I'm convinced wants to be number 9. McHale will do fine at full forward if he has a good deliver man. Starve him and he becomes frustrated and will come searching for food. I still hold the view that is best role is at midfield. I don't care if he ends up in goals, if Mayo win on Sunday. I know if Mayo are to win, McHale is not the only that has to have a big game. Big Mac will also have to do the business. And looking at Colm McMenamon at the moment, I suspect he could be be still running hours after Sunday's final is over. He's in superb shape. He's improving on his passing and his hunger for work seems to be getting bigger all the time. But we will need him to show more often up front. He played very deep against Offaly, as did Pat Fallon, but we will need a lot more ball into the attack if Mayo are to win. If he can get it together, and get more involved in the attack, that much criticised Kerry defence could find themselves under pressure, pressure that will lead to points and if Maurice Sheridan can hit his best form, Mayo could reap a score of around the fourteen or fifteen point mark, and I reckon that could be enough on the day.
Kerry
Like Mayo, Kerry have been building from an under 21 side, a side that beat them in that All Ireland Final three years ago. Living under the shadow of Cork for the past ten years has not been easy. There is general relief in Kerry that they are back in a final and whatever about semi-finals, Kerry don't lose too many finals. The natives are also becoming restless and it could be the final throw of the dice for Paidí. We are all too well aware of their pedigree, their foot balling instincts and the quality of their play when they turn on the power.
Like Mayo, Kerry have some very good players. Barry O'Shea is a very fine full back, Seamus Moynihan and Eamon Breen are quality wing backs in their best sector which is the half back line.
Along with Fitzgerald, Dara O'Cinnéide, who failed to make his mark last year, Pa Laide, Liam Hassett and full forward Brian Clarke will pose question from the Mayo defence and the 19 year-old Michael F. Russell, the young gun who rifled home that great goal against Cavan, is likely to feature in Paidí O'Sé's chess game before the day is done.
We can talk about the imponderables. Of course you need the touch of the green, you need to get the kind bounce of the ball, the lucky breaks. But along with all that you need to have the hunger to win. I think Mayo have built up a sufficiently strong appetite after last year. Their defence is stronger than last year and they have an ace in the pack up front this time round in McDonald. I always felt you had to lose one to win one. Mayo have lost two. The time is nigh for Sam Maguire to return after a 46 year exile. I see it panning out at Mayo 1-14 Kerry 1-11.
Diary closed... for the moment.
