St. Michael's are worthy winners
I bet P.J. McGowan, Aodh Mairtin O'Fearraigh and all Donegal GAA officials breathed a large sigh of relief when they pulled the blinds on Sunday morning and saw a bright sunny morning.
The clear blue skies meant that the U-21 football championship final could finally go ahead and 2009 business finally wrapped up.
And while it is regrettable that the competition should drag on, I don’t think anyone down St. Michael’s way are too concerned about the fact that they played their first game in the championship last July.
They are celebrating a second U-21 title and deservedly so. They were much the slicker and better oiled machine on the day. In the end their seven point victory in no way flattered them. They showed against Kilcar in last week’s semi-final that they might be just hitting form at the right time.
In comparison Naomh Conaill did show signs of being a tired side in their semi-final win over Four Masters. I suppose given there hectic run of games between Donegal and Ulster since Christmas and county and college commitments it should come as no great surprise that they might become a little leg weary.
Given that it is only early March and so many of the team are crucial to their senior prospects in 2010, it will be a cause of concern for the club's senior manager Jim McGuinness.
But that in no way should take away from St. Michael’s victory. They were much the better team on the day and as Martin McElhinney averted too afterwards, having been knocked out by Naomh Conaill in the last three years at the semi-final stage they were never going to be found wanting when it came to motivation.
They certainly had the edge in appetite on Sunday. But that is only one ingredient. They are also a fine bunch of players and with only Martin McElhinney and Martin Breslin overage for this year’s U-21 championship they will have a big say in that championship whenever it is played.
In Daniel McLaughlin and Raymond McLaughlin they have two class forwards and in particular Daniel. While Raymond can have his off days, having watched Daniel over the last three to four years on a fairly regular basis I have to say I can’t recall him having a bad game.
He always gives it 100%. He is full of energy, has a fantastic engine and is blessed with pace and loads of football into the bargain. He is definitely a player John Joe Doherty should draft into his senior squad. He might not be ready for senior county football just yet but he would definitely benefit from being part of the county set-up.
Along with Cloughaneely’s Kevin Mulhern, he is a young player I rate very highly. Neither might have the silken skills of the Gooch Cooper, but boy do the give you all they have and are two very honest young players. And really in my book you cannot ask for more.
Saturday night's All Ireland club semi-final meeting of St. Galls and Corofin threw up two big talking points and I suppose exposed a couple of anomalies that need to be looked at.
First after waiting three months to play the game, it seems a little unfair that teams were forced to play extra-time after the game ended in a draw.
But even more unfair is the rule where a yellow card picked up in normal time is carried forward into the extra-time while a red card is not.
The Ulster champions were reduced to 14 men in the second half of normal time when Anthony Healy was red carded. And while Healy did not resume they were allowed to replace him in extra time. Corofin, on the other hand, had to play most of the extra-time with 14 players after their half-forward Gary Sice was sent off for second yellow card offence. He had been shown the first yellow in normal time.
tom.comack@donegaldemocrat.com
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Weather for Donegal
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy rain
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