Gill determined to keep Newtown in the shade

‘THE SHADOW’: it’s a great nickname for a corner-back, isn’t it? Even better were the circumstances in which it was earned by Portumna’s Michael Gill.

“It was a long time ago when I was 17 or 18,” remembers Gill, “and I marking one of the more established lads of the time one evening. That night, he got up to go to the toilet, felt there was someone behind him, and told all the lads that he thought it was me. I was christened The Shadow and the name stuck.”

On Friday a Newtownshandrum corner-forward will be looking over his shoulder as the sides clash in the All-Ireland club SHC final at Croke Park.

It could be John O’Connor, his famous brother, Ben, or could even be their diminutive first-cousin, Jerry O’Mahony.

Whoever it is can be guaranteed every ball will be earned and every score hard chiselled.

Stuck to his man like a barnacle to a beached wreck, that’s the job description, and Michael lives it, happily. “Yeah, that’s it, that’s the job,” he grins.

In his thirties, Gill is in his 14th senior season with Portumna, and catchy nickname or not, like most of his breed has spent most of that in relative anonymity.

The forwards are the boys who get the attention, the publicity, the profile, but the corner-back?

The quieter he can keep things in his corner, for his opponent and himself, the better he’ll like it.

Which isn’t to say he doesn’t dream of performing on the big stage. “I was hoping, always, to play at Croke Park. I never got the chance until now.”

So, he’s all excited then, at the prospect? Well no, the corner-back mentality will always out. “I don’t think we’re overexcited about it. We are just more focused. It is another job to do.”

One more marking job, one more shadowing job, and Michael Gill’s career will be complete.

He did it in the semi-final, a convincing win over Kilkenny’s James Stephens, when their high-powered forward line was held to a miserable 11 points.

“We did well that day. We were on top for the full hour and never left them into it. I was on one of the McCormacks, David, who is speedy enough, big and strong. Beforehand, we weren’t sure how we’d do, even though things were going well in training, but you never know how it’s going to go on the day.”

Mind you, when training involves trying to contain the likes of speedy All-star Damien Hayes in one corner, future All-star Joe Canning in the other, former Galway senior Niall Hayes between the two, it’s bound to sharpen the reflexes. Not that Michael is without some inter-county experience himself.

“I played underage with Galway was on and off panels at minor and U-21, though I never played championship with them at that level.”

He’s not the most talkative individual you’ll ever meet, Michael Gill - “I’d be surprised if you get a word at all out of him,” the encouraging introduction of Portumna team manager Sean Treacy - but he says enough, and where it most matters, on the field, more than enough.

Ollie Canning is the marquee name at corner-back for Portumna, has earned that name through years of outstanding performance at the top level for Galway, and this Friday, he will probably be designated to mark Newtownshandrum’s dangerman, Ben O’Connor.

But fine and all a man-marker as Ollie undoubtedly is, he is not The Shadow. That telltale sobriquet belongs to Michael Gill. Keep an eye out for him this Friday, he’ll be the one wearing the number 2 for Portumna; if that’s not enough for you, he’ll be the one stuck to the number 15 for Newtownshandrum. Trailing, frustrating, shadowing.