Text Only | Irish Examiner

Finding success but only through sacrifice

By Dick Clerkin - Monday, September 24, 2012

2012 may be remembered as the year in which the glass ceiling was shattered for those considered second tier counties in the Gaelic football world.

After what was a largely predictable Championship, the season burst into life when Jim McGuinness and his players tore up the script and sent both Kerry and Cork packing in impressive fashion.

Likewise Mayo surprised many with their similar combination of steel and style when dismissing last year’s winners Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.

During the last decade, many inter-county players and managers would have walked away from Croke Park, on the third Sunday in September, knowing that there was a significant gulf between those at the very top and the chasing pack. Results proved that theory with Tyrone and Kerry sharing seven All-Ireland titles between them and the pair were largely untouchable at their peak.
During this time, Donegal and Mayo, along with several others counties, including ourselves in Monaghan, acted as mere sparring partners for these two heavyweights as they took turns heading up the Hogan Stand steps.

However as these great teams gradually loosened their grip on Sam Maguire, others have stepped into the spotlight and this year saw the fifth different winner of the All-Ireland title in as many years.

En route to this year’s decider, Donegal beat not just both Kerry and Tyrone, but Cork, winners in 2010, and many people’s favourites for glory this year.

Similarly Mayo dispatched last year’s winners, Dublin, who many felt, after beating Kerry in dramatic fashion in 2011, had the potential to go and dominate the football landscape for the next few years.

Probably for the first time in well over a decade, everyone would agree that, heading into the 2013 season, there are more counties with the potential to reach an All-Ireland final than ever before.

Aligning themselves with Donegal and Mayo, many panels will look towards next year with realistic levels of expectation and hope that would have previously been mere wishful thinking.

The 2012 season has also taught us, that no matter who you are, to reach an All-Ireland final you need your best players fit, playing well, and hungry for success.

A dip in any of these factors, whilst in many cases is unavoidable, can prove to be a team’s undoing.

But to intimate that Donegal and Mayo have found themselves in an All-Ireland final due to the dip in standards of others around them, does a serious disservice to the work of both Jim McGuinness and James Horan.

It is far from a coincidence that both set-ups bore striking similarities. Prioritising teamwork and the collective over individualism. Professional levels of fitness. Discipline and cynicism in equally effective measures. Those factors along with a newfound mental toughness, are combined in these teams very effective units.

Much of this has to be put down to the astuteness of the respective managers, but equally to the high levels of commitment, dedication and most importantly, trust imparted by the respective players.

The sacrifices both sets of players have made is well documented and mirror those given by other recent winners. But such is the effort required in the modern day game to get to that required level of performance, is it proving too much to sustain? Are we approaching the limit on what amateur sports people can give?

Considering their recent histories, the progression of Mayo and Donegal to this year’s All-Ireland decider will provide inspiration to many counties who will now feel they have a realistic chance of reaching the promised land. However to do that, will require a level of commitment and dedication above and beyond what they have ever given before. As Vince Lombardi famously remarked: "Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there."

IrishExaminer.com - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Finding success but only through sacrifice