Father’s advice sees Dunlea hit vital score
Stepping up to take a penalty, surrounded by furious opponents, two points down with 30 seconds remaining is the stuff of nightmares for most men. “I’ve scored from penalties before but never in a game of this importance. It wasn’t easy to concentrate during the chaos which followed the awarding of the penalty,” he admitted.
So how did Dunlea keep his composure?
“I remembered what my father had told me in such situations — to move away and stay focused.
“There was never any doubt that I was going for goal. I kicked it straight down the middle and thankfully their ‘keeper went one way.
“Had he stood his ground he could well have saved it.
“You have to give credit to O’Callaghans Mills. They played a superb game, crowded us out in attack and there were times when I thought it wasn’t going to go our way.
“We kicked some dreadful wides under pressure but as long as there is time you are still in with a chance and you could say our perseverance eventually paid off.
“This is a massive boost for football in Canovee. It’s been a long hard season but you don’t mind it as long as you keep winning.
“We’ll enjoy this victory over the Christmas, before turning our thoughts to the All-Ireland series”.
O’Callaghans Mills manager Michael O’Brien, while congratulating Canovee on their victory, slammed the referee — and not just for the penalty decision which decided the game.
“At half time we knew we had a problem with the referee, and I said it to him.
“We had been awarded just four frees to 16 for our opponents but he made light of it.
“The second half was too bad but the penalty decision was the worst I’ve seen in all my time involved in the game.
“From where I stood it wasn’t a penalty.
“I would give him nothing out of 10 for his performance.
“At the end of the day he won the game for Canovee and that should not be the case,” he added.
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