Cusack parries the plaudits

A COUPLE of weeks ago, a new GAA book hit the shelves. Last Man Standing by Christy O'Connor features a series of brutally honest interviews with several of the best hurling goalkeepers in the game.

It should be made mandatory reading for every GAA fan in the country.

Not just because of its style and content, both of which are top-class, but because of what it reveals - the pain, the agony endured, the abuse they suffer at the hands of GAA fans, often, their own 'fans'.

The one most featured, the one most abused by his own, with a couple of very sorry tales written into the narrative involving not just himself, but his immediate family, is Donal Óg Cusack.

Surely after yesterday those days are no more. All-Ireland final, day of days, second Sunday of September, Donal Óg Cusack gave the performance of his life, one of the great goalkeeping displays witnessed in Croke Park.

Seventeen minutes into the game, Cork just after scoring their goal, leading 1-6 to 0-3, Galway broke through at the other end.

Alan Kerins, one-on-one with Cusack. Point-blank shot, point-blank save; not just parried either, but directed wide of the goal area, out of immediate rebound danger. It helped keep the lid on a Galway attack that could otherwise have boiled over.

Was that enough? No. Dying minutes of the second half, the O'Connor twins on fire (and surely now, Jerry O'Connor has to be the man, hurler-of-the-year), Galway fighting tooth and nail to keep the gap close, Cork had again built themselves a bit of a cushion. Five-point lead, three minutes plus injury-time to go - again, Cusack is called on, not once, but twice. Again he answers the call, on the double.

And it wasn't just goal saves. Earlier in that half, he had pulled down a ball that was headed over the bar, then made a massive clearance, ball taken by (who else?) Ben O'Connor, point at other end. Two-point swing. Oh yes, you want heroics, that's 3-2 right there from the Cork keeper. And the one time he was beaten, it was only after another terrific stop, the ball then scrambled home. Reason to crow, then, but did he?

"Thanks very much," he murmured, complimented on that performance; "I'm just delighted to be able to contribute to those boys out there."

Come on Donal, there has to be more; that book didn't just reveal the pain behind the keeper, the fear of error, it also detailed the massive amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. It wasn't just the rocket shots that were dealt with, it was everything in between, the high balls, the low knee-tremblers, all taken and dispatched with utmost efficiency. Vindication, then, for all that effort?

"We do work hard, I have no problem saying that. You go out there and ask most fellas where they were last Christmas Eve, they were probably on the piss; I was in a ball-alley with Niall McCarthy, working. You put in the work, and it pays off like it did today, but goalkeeping is a risky business, some days it goes for you, some days it doesn't."

And then he reiterates, "my main feeling now, I'm just delighted to have been able to contribute to those boys."

And yet, those saves, outstanding as they were, weren't the most significant contribution of all by Donal Óg Cusack yesterday; there was more. For some time now, the Cork game-plan, to which the keeper is crucial, has been under the microscope, and under the cosh.

Short puck-outs especially, dropped puck-outs, puck-outs that were coming back to haunt; and then, in biggest game of the year, Cork change, change utterly. Not a single short puck-out, not a one; even as Galway adopted the tactic, saw it pay off on three occasions with points at the other end, Cusack opened the shoulders, went bombing.

Worked? Again, you could say that, second half especially; again, the main man refused plaudits.

"The Cork selectors are magnificent. They don't just pick the team, every one of those lads has a specific job, and the amount of time they spend doing that, watching tapes of the opposition, our own tapes, being critical, especially of ourselves, that's immense. Since the All-Ireland semi-final (win over Clare), they'd have been doing that. We're not afraid to change, our way isn't necessarily always the right way, and I give great credit to the backroom team for that. I'd frighten you if I told you how many hours we've spent studying those options; it's a good sign of everybody involved that we were prepared to change our tactic today, go for what we felt was best."

And then, a word for Galway, for keeper Liam Donoghue, who also features in that book. "I feel for them, I know what it's like to lose an All-Ireland final, it's a shattering, shattering experience. The whole week, the whole build-up, your whole family is involved, it means so much to everybody. The only thing, when you've lost one, it makes the winning all that much sweeter, when it comes." Can it come, for Galway? "Definitely, why not? Never say never."

Last Man Standing, Last Man Outstanding. Surely now, he's earned a break. Respect, lads.