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There are a lot of conversations overheard sitting on the fence this last few days. The heart says Mayo, the head says Dublin. We’ve heard them all.
It’s like Al Pacino says it is. A game of inches. What differences will we see on Saturday? Who has learned the most in the last two weeks? What tactical changes will we see? What match ups will there be?
“Dublin won’t be as poor again. Mayo won’t have as many things go in their favour again. It was a freak result those two own goals.”
“Bernard Brogan is like Wayne Rooney. Nonsense, Bernard’s at the peak of his powers, he’ll strike gold the next day, always does.”
“McManamon’s better coming off the bench.”
“Lee Keegan and Diarmuid Connolly. Less said.”
“Tony McEntee’s influence is vital, he’s been involved in 21 replays with Crossmaglen down the years and won 19 of them.”
“Those Mayo players talked to the media after the drawn match. The Dublin players didn’t. They cancelled their dinner that night.”
“Jack McCaffrey’s back but he won’t be playing, John Small is a ready made replacement getting on the ball, turning the opposition over, chipping in with a point.”
The GAA’s had its fair share of All Ireland Final replays in recent seasons. In hurling that is, these days with teams adept at keeping the ball, especially with the finish line and the Holy Grail in sight, they are less likely to cough up possession with the game won. It is unusual to see a team chase down a lead in football, perhaps a team is more likely to shade a one point victory from a drawn position coming into the last few minutes.
American sport is well used to series of matches in Basketball and Baseball. It’s still a novelty here. Maybe that’s something the GAA can look at. But that’s not to say there haven’t been draws before.
The most famous series of them all. Started on the June Bank Holiday of 1991 as a first round qualifying match and concluded 34 days and four games later with a total attendance of 237,000 fans. 'With three replays and with two that went to extra-time, the series culminated in a single point win for Meath thanks to Kevin Foley’s late goal and David Beggy’s winner. The crowds grew as the matches continued, and sadly for Meath they didn’t even win the All Ireland despite prevailing over the four game series. One of the all time classic rivalries.
[1-12 to 1-12; 1-11 to 1-11 aet; 1-14 to 2-11 aet; 2-10 to 0-15]
In 2005 Tyrone and Armagh were two of the heaviest heavyweights around. In those days the Ulster Finals were played in Croker to harness the maximum crowd and to let the rest of the country transfix itself and watch Ulster football. The first match was characterized by an imperious showing by Stephen O’Neill who gave Francie Bellew a torrid time. It wasn’t enough though, and Armagh were good value for the draw. The replay was a spicier affair altogether, with red cards for Tyrone substitute Peter Canavan and Armagh’s Ciaran McKeever. Stephen O’Neill also got his marching orders, mistakenly so, as Armagh pulled away. The summer wasn’t without its twists as the sides met again in an epic semi final with Canavan gaining a measure of revenge kicking a last minute dead ball to seal the deal. Had Joe Kernan kept Kieran McGeeney on the field for the last few minutes Armagh may have prevailed however it was not to be.
[2-8 to 0-14; 0-13 to 0-11; 1-12 to 1-13]
The replay was controversial at the time because it was switched to the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick rather than being replayed at Croke Park. The first game a week earlier had seen a late Kerry comeback deny the Mayo men. Looking down and out at half time and reduced to fourteen men following the sending off of Lee Keegan, they started running at the Kerry defence with remarkable effect. As the game ebbed and flowed, the introduction of Kieran Donaghy galvanized the Kingdom and they drew level from the boot of substitute Kieran O’Leary in injury time. The replay saw Kerry 2-3 to 0-2 behind after 25 minutes and a goal behind at half time. With two O’Donoghue penalties easing Kerry ahead going into the home straight, a Donal Vaughan score brought Mayo level and sent the game to extra time. O’Connor and Kevin McLoughlin had Mayo two clear in the first period of extra-time, but Kerry hit the last five points of the game to seal an amazing win for Kerry with Mayo talisman Cillian O’Connor sent off as the Mayo men chased a late goal.
[1-16 1-16, 3-16 to 3-13 aet]
There hasn’t been much between Mayo and Dublin in recent years, as proven by the drawn match a fortnight ago. Last year they met in the semi final and drew, with the eventual All Ireland winners coming through the replay by seven. Dublin were four points behind with 55 minutes gone, but goals from Bernard Brogan, Philly McMahon and who else but Kevin McManamon saw them home by seven, the game ending with a remarkable eleven point turnaround. The substitutions of Alan Brogan, Macauley and McManamon were key, emphasizing once again the value of the Dublin bench.
[2-12 to 1-15; 3-15 to 1-14]
All the best to both teams from O’Neills. The Choice of Champions.