Bringing Páraic Duffy on board a shrewd move by Vinny Corey

KEY ROLE: Former Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA Paraic Duffy, left, arrives before the Allianz Football League Division 1 match against Galway at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Just as he has been following most Monaghan championship games this year, former GAA director general Páraic Duffy was among the players following last Saturday week’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

As they cheered Rory Beggan’s penalty save that sent them into the last four for only the second time since 1988, Duffy cut an emotional figure. Manager Vinny Corey then brought the group into a post-match huddle but before he spoke he hugged Duffy who returned to form a link in the circle.

One of the most astute pieces of business Corey did on being appointed as Seamus McEnaney’s successor was recruiting Duffy as logistics/liaison manager. With an extensive career in GAA officialdom from Monaghan PRO to national Games Administration Committee chair to national player welfare manager to the highest position in the organisation, to be able to call on his counsel was a smart move.

Since stepping down as director general in 2018 after just over 10 years in the position, Duffy had been keeping a low profile but he’s been spotted regularly as part of the Monaghan set-up. The day after that dramatic crescendo against Armagh, he and Corey were photographed sitting together in the Hogan Stand as they took in the Dublin-Mayo All-Ireland quarter-final.

A selector with Seán McCague when Monaghan won an Ulster title in 1985 and son of former county chairman Mick after whom the county’s senior football championship cup is named, Duffy’s passion for Monaghan is well-known.

In Lorcan O’Rourke’s 2011 book My Great Sporting Memories – From Local Club to Olympic Games, Duffy chose the 1979 Ulster final win as his favourite. “Monaghan players drew obvious inspiration from their passionate support and with Kieran ‘Jap’ Finlay scoring 1-9, decades of failure ended in a 1-15 to 0-11 victory,” he said.

“I will always remember the emotional scenes as referee, Hugh Duggan blew the final whistle as we witnessed Monaghan being crowned champions for the first time since 1938. No fewer than five civic receptions followed in the county’s five towns on the Monday night and the win gripped the county in the weeks that followed – in part helped by the semi-final it set up against an all-conquering Kerry team.

“We may have over-celebrated because our All-Ireland semi-final fate was to be a hefty hiding from Kerry but even that couldn’t take away from what had been a fantastic season.”

Duffy’s son Mark was a member of Malachy O’Rourke’s panel when they ended a 25-year wait for the Anglo-Celt Cup in 2013. Duffy missed only two of their games that year. 

“The passion doesn’t come from being an administrator,” he told the42.ie a year later. “The passion and anxiety about games for me comes from Monaghan. I go to as many Monaghan games as I can. If they win, I’m happy on a Sunday night. If they lose, I’m disappointed. I’m a supporter like anyone else.” 

Upon retiring as director general in 2018, he admitted to The Irish Times: “If Croke Park was in Monaghan, I’d have the perfect job.” As he and Monaghan return there on Saturday for the second time in 14 days, he might just possess the ideal role now.