Cusack turns goalkeeping art into a whole new ball game

FOR the last two weeks, much of the talk around Cork’s one-point All-Ireland quarter-final win over Limerick revolved around balls: subterfuge balls, sleight-of-hand balls, all nonsense talk.

Let’s talk now of the kind of balls shown yesterday, yet again, by this outstanding team. At half time of a rip-roaring contest, the two teams headed for the dressing rooms tied, eight chiselled points apiece, each one hewn from two granite defences.

Having notched the final two points of the half, Waterford were the happier of the two sides, trotting off tails up. Two minutes into the second half, it looked even rosier for them when they smashed and grabbed 1-1.

Were the Decies in the driving seat? Not against this team.

“They don’t do panic,” agreed selector Joe O’Leary, “but you should see us on the sideline, we do panic!

“They have a system, they have the utmost confidence in it. Donal Óg is often on record as saying that he has two clubs, Cloyne and Cork, and they do play like a club team, a band of brothers.”

Donal Óg, goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack, the man around whom much of the balls controversy revolved. He’s had many a big day for Cork but yesterday was an absolute tour-de-force. Three times in the first quarter he was called on, three times he delivered.

You want balls? This was it, in spades, yet it wasn’t the ultimate.

For the Waterford goal, he denied Eoin McGrath twice, but was helpless to prevent the final shot by Eoin Kelly. Around this time was when the rest of the Cork team, on and off the field, showed their mettle. Where other sides might have been overrun by a Waterford team growing in confidence by the minute, this team simply wouldn’t buckle. Fought, harried, chased, hassled, stayed in the game.

In the 22nd minute, however, came the big call. You want balls? Last year, in the same situation against Clare, Cork took off Ronan Curran and Brian Corcoran, brought on two subs, including Neil Ronan, turned the game. Yesterday, Ronan started, had notched three points from play, including the first Cork score of the second half; this time, he was the one to walk, and in came young Cathal Naughton, making his senior championship debut.

Ballsy call? Oh yeah, and boy, did it pay dividends.

“We were training during the week,” said Brian Corcoran, “And Sully (Diarmuid O’Sullivan) and myself were having a chat; we were saying — wouldn’t it be your worst nightmare as a corner-back or wing-back, to have Cathal come on, running at you with his pace, with 10 or 15 minutes to go? His first touch in Croke Park, under that kind of pressure, he turns and hits it over the bar; his next touch, Joe Deane gave him a great pass for the goal but he showed experience way beyond his years. Hennessey (Waterford keeper) was coming out, but he didn’t panic, he just slotted it past him.”

Balls alright, balls by the youngster, to go for the goal when others might have taken the opt-out clause, went for the point; balls also by the said Joe Deane, who notched Cork’s last two points with two difficult frees, everything in the balance. Most of all, however, the single incident that defined this team yesterday, defined the man at the heart of it; the save at the death that broke Waterford hearts as Ken McGrath’s stupendous free was heading a couple of feet over the crossbar. Most others wouldn’t have taken the risk. But this is Donal Óg.

“Not only does he stop goals but he stops points now as well,” said O’Leary. “He’s definitely the spiritual leader of this team, they all have great grá for him, a great regard for him.”

Regard expressed by his full back, Cloyne clubmate Diarmuid O’Sullivan: “I don’t think any other goalkeeper would have had the balls to do what he did at the end, but look, that’s the character of the man. He’s constantly knocked down, but he’s getting bigger and bigger, better and better.”