McConnell relishing unexpected chance to continue Croker odyssey

Pascal McConnell was convinced his love affair with Croke Park had come to an end. Having lost his place as Tyrone’s first choice goalkeeper, ‘Packie’ was a permanent fixture on the bench.

New kid on the block Niall Morgan was turning in sensational performances with his free-kicks and shot-stopping skills and forced Mickey Harte, for the first time in more than a decade, to dispense with his goalkeeper rotation policy.

But a knee injury ended Morgan’s season back in June, and propelled 33-year-old McConnell back into the first 15. But he admits just a few weeks ago he was on the verge of accepting his career was nearing its end.

“At times it probably crossed my mind, but you could throw in the towel, throw the dummy out of the cot and say my time’s up.

“But I don’t really see it that way, that’s admitting defeat, taking an easy option, to sit back and just see the year out,” he said.

“I think everything is a challenge, and there’s lots of challenges for goalkeeper. So I decided to keep knuckling down, keep working away, keep working hard, because I think you can only do the team justice by doing that.

“If you’re going to sit and laze about, it’s not going to have a nice effect, especially when you’re one of the more experienced members of the team as well.

“So I think it’s important you commit yourself in the best way you can. It’s nice to work with these lads, work with Niall, and maybe pass on any words of advice that I have, because he’s a fantastic lad and he’s a winner.”

McConnell is reluctant to assert that he would have saved Conor McManus’s shot when the Monaghan attacker escaped the clutches of Sean Cavanagh and his now infamous rugby tackle in the All-Ireland quarter-final. But he does feel his experience would have helped him.

“The quality of player Conor is, he’s one of the top forwards in Ireland, without question. He’s a fantastic athlete and footballer.

“You would maybe go to your basics, and with the fact that he’s closing down on goal. You’d get out and cut down the angle, apply your learning to the situation.

“In the form he’s in, I can see why he said he fancied himself. But I’m there to stop goals, so you’ve got to be confident in your own ability.

“But I was glad that Sean took him down. 99 people out of 100 would have pulled him down. That’s the way the game has gone, it’s win at all costs.”