Gutted for Gooch on my generation’s Darby day
I will come to the match presently. When my parents’ generation explained to me about Seamus Darby’s goal in 1982, I never quite got it. I never got the crystal clear recollections of that day, the tears and the sorrow. I understood what a disappointment it was but never managed to understand the emotional baggage that went with it. Now I understand. Yesterday’s defeat is my generation’s Darby moment. I am heart-broken, but most of all I’m heartbroken for Colm Cooper.
In 2002 I had similar emotions after we lost a game we should have won against Armagh with Darragh Ó Sé as our captain. We were desperate to get him up the steps, as desperate as the Kerry lads were yesterday to give Gooch the biggest honour in our game. Unfortunately life and sport does not always work like that. Gooch knows better than anyone. He has plenty of life experience and won’t dwell on the disappointment.
People outside Kerry might think we are greedy, that it’s great for the GAA for Dublin to win an All-Ireland and that Kerry have enough won. Until you understand that Kerry never have enough won, you won’t understand Kerry.
This group of players, Jack and the management deserve massive credit. After losing to Down last year so many obituaries were written. There was much doom and gloom in Kerry and talk of an impending famine last winter. Instead this group responded the only way they know. I played with them and worked with them and they are outstanding individuals. Many reinvented themselves and they got back into an All-Ireland final. They lost a game they usually would win. Spare the epitaphs, they will be back in 2012.
Right, onto the game. And what a game it was. It was intriguing from start to finish. Pat Gilroy deserves massive credit. His startled earwigs have becomes kings of the jungle. They set out their stall early. There was no way that Kerry were going to get a start on them as they did in 2009. The mantra was keep it tight and create battle conditions.
They knew they would lose a shootout but might win a battle. Jack O’Connor started Kieran Donaghy on the wing and Declan O’Sullivan inside. It worked well. Donaghy (who had one of his best games in a Kerry jersey) won possession repeatedly and used it well. O’Sullivan kicked an early point and but for losing his footing on the slippery surface more than once had Ross O’Carroll in trouble. However, Gilroy never panicked. He trusted his men and he trusted his system. Darran O’Sullivan on Ger Brennan, Donaghy on James McCarthy and Declan on O’Carroll all looked like mismatches to me. However, Dublin suffocated the space with disciplined positioning and patience, and kept defensive shape throughout. Kerry were not as fluid as usual in the final third. They spilled ball, overcooked passes and lost the ball in contact. Gooch’s goal camouflaged the fact Kerry only kicked two points in the first half.
Meanwhile the Brogans and a Cluxton free meant that the Dubs were working the scoreboard and making sure the game went down the stretch as they planned.
The game was won and lost in a frantic last quarter after Kerry had worked themselves into pole position. This was epitomised by Darran O’Sullivan’s efforts in winning a free in the 60th minute. As he went for a Paul Galvin pass he was pulled off the ball which was not spotted by Joe McQuillian (who I felt had a poor game).
Darran immediately went after Cian O’Sullivan, turned him over with a huge tackle and won a free which Gooch converted. It had game changer written all over it.
Even though it looked as if indiscipline might cost them as another Bryan Sheehan free stretched the lead to four Dublin were not going to fold. Then came the actual game deciding moment. It had been a feature of Kerry’s play throughout the afternoon. At times they were too slow in moving the ball through midfield and this facilitated Dublin’s ferocious tackling.
Kieran O’Leary’s absence from the hole off the front two was a factor as too often the player in possession was not given an outlet for a popped 20-yard kick pass which can unlock a defence. During one of these periods of over-handpassing, Kerry got turned over and it resulted in the strong running Kevin McManamon scoring a great goal.
Dublin were still a point down but it breathed life into their challenge. Kerry kept fighting and it looked as if Donaghy’s massive equaliser after Dublin had kicked two further points meant we would get another day out.
Instead Stephen Cluxton got to be the hero and Gilroy will get the freedom of the capital. His team have come a long way and this win and the accompanying self-belief means they might only be starting.
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