Moments of 2017 Football Season

Started by Owen Brannigan, September 16, 2017, 04:19:25 PM

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Owen Brannigan

Malachy Clerkin in the Irish Times has collated his 30 moments of the football season:
(Probably needs a video sequence to do them justice)

30 Conor McManus point v Down
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Croke Park, July 29th
It had been a frustrating championship pretty much all the way through for McManus but occasionally he was able to wriggle free. This was his best score all year, a high-stepping, twirling, duck-n-move run across the Down defence and a soaring finish.

29 Johnny Heaney goal v Donegal
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Sligo, July 22nd
Donegal were actually leading here after the opening quarter. But then Galway outscored them 3-5 to 0-1 for the rest of the first half, starting with Heaney palming home this effort with the Donegal backline nowhere. It was to become a jarringly familiar sight.

28 Diarmuid O'Connor's point v Cork
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Limerick, July 22nd
Mayo were gone, Part Two. Having rescued the draw, Cork were the ones who kicked on in extra-time. But Mayo don't fizzle out. This was the go-ahead score, O'Connor nailing it with the outside of his right boot from 40 metres on an angle. The place went dizzy.
Diarmuid O'Connor's extra-time point helped Mayo get their noses in front against Cork.

27 Fintan Kelly goal v Carlow
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Dr Cullen Park, July 15th
Carlow's longest summer finally ended but they gave Monaghan a huge fright. Leading with 10 to go, they were only point down in the 66th minute. Kelly finished them off, padding home at the end of a fine running move. Monaghan ran to the bus, relieved.

26 Patrick McBrearty point v Meath
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Navan, July 8th
One of those to-and-fro humdingers that the qualifiers can throw up. Michael Murphy kept Donegal in credit throughout but it was McBrearty who came up with the fistful of dollars in the end. Injury-time, draw game, McBrearty landed a bomb from 50 metres.

25 Ronan O'Neill's lob v Down
Ulster final, Clones, July 16th
The game was long over and O'Neill had already scored one goal. But none of that diminishes the delicate class of his second goal. Having stolen in behind the Down cover, he lobbed Michael Cunningham with a perfect parabola.

24 Waterford give Cork a scare
Munster SFC, Fraher Field, May 27th
Waterford haven't beaten Cork since 1960 and haven't finished within double-figures since 1972. Yet here they were, level in injury-time with Cork down to 14 men. Late, late points from Paul Kerrigan and Colm O'Neill saw the Rebels home. But only just.

23 Cathal McNally's fast start v Meath
Leinster semi-final, Tullamore, June 17th
Supposed to be a clash of equals but Kildare's McNally started at a tempo nobody in a Meath jersey could match. He had 1-3 from play on the board inside the opening 18 minutes. The question of who is Leinster's second team was answered quicker than anyone envisioned.

22 Dublin's two goals in a minute v Kildare
Leinster final, Croke Park, June 25th
This was a game and then it wasn't a game. Kildare started well and even went ahead but then James McCarthy got in for one goal and Dean rock got in for another and the awesome might of the Dublin machine milled them to fine flour.

21 Peter Harte's point v Donegal
Ulster semi-final, Clones, June 18th
This was actually still quite a close game in the 25th minute. The floodgates were jimmied open when Harte dummy-soloed outside one tackle, jinked inside another, turned back on himself to evade a third and swung a rare right-footed score as a fourth closed in. Sublime.

20 Robbie Kiely goal v Cavan
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Breffni Park, July 8th
Without five of their 2016 team, Tipperary came from six points down away from home and produced one of the ballsiest displays of the year. Capped off by this goal from Kiely eight minutes from time, smashed home from the edge of the large square.

19 Luke Connolly's goal v Tipperary
Munster semi-final, Páirc Uí Rinn, June 10th
Conor Sweeney's goal in the 69th minute put Tipp 1-9 to 0-10 ahead and it looked like Cork were done. From the kick-out, four rat-a-tat passes moved the ball from midfield to the edge of the square where Connolly palmed home. Tipp had led for exactly 30 seconds.

18 Sean Cavanagh's last game
All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, August 13th
No fairytales. Cavanagh's 89th and last game in a Tyrone jersey ended after 55 minutes with the game long dead. He jogged off into retirement, holding the all-time record for appearances by an outfield player. A queue of Dubs lined up afterwards to pay their respects.

17 Ethan Rafferty point v Kildare
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Croke Park, July 29th
This is how you make amends. Armagh's Rafferty had come off the bench and almost immediately given away two artless frees to keep Kildare in the game. This point, a shall-not-yield effort that kissed the sky on its way down, ushered them off the premises.

16 Sean Powter goal v Mayo
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Limerick, July 22nd
Goal of the year contender. Mayo were easing to a sleepy win before Cork's Powter stuck as defiant a goal as you'll ever see. Collecting in midfield, he kept running, dodging and bulling on, turning Keith Higgins inside out and beating David Clarke from 15 metres.

15 Lee Keegan goal v Roscommon
All-Ireland quarter-final, Croke Park, July 30th
All the Rossies had to do was catch the kick-out. Or if they couldn't, they had to foul the man who did. Or if they couldn't they had to mind Lee Keegan. Or if they couldn't, they had to go meet him. They did none of these. Mayo were back in it within 40 seconds.

14 Ciarán Murtagh goal v Mayo
All-Ireland quarter-final, Croke Park, July 30th
Even allowing for the Connacht title, this was the high point of Roscommon's year. Just 11 minutes gone against their old oppressors and Murtagh staked in behind and nailed a low finish at David Clarke's near post. Rossies 2-2 Mayo 0-1.

13 Johnny Heaney double save v Mayo
Connacht semi-final, June 11th, Pearse Stadium
Six minutes to go, with Galway three ahead. Mayo sub Danny Kirby stripped goalkeeper Ruairí Lavelle and faced an empty net. From nowhere, Johnny Heaney lunged to first block Kirby's shot and then Diarmuid O'Connor's follow-up. Superhero stuff to seal the win.

12 Connaire Harrison's first point v Monaghan
Ulster semi-final, Armagh, June 24th
Harrison was a brutalising force of nature all night for Down, giving Drew Wylie a rare but sound roasting. His first point was Down's first point, a rampaging full-forward's rebel yell of a score and Down kicked on from there to their first Ulster final since 2012.

11 Brendan Murphy's goal v Wexford
Leinster SFC, Dr Cullen Park, May 21st
Carlow hadn't won a Leinster game since 2011 and now Wexford were within a point in injury-time. Darragh Foley caught a kick-out and fed Murphy on the Wexford 45. Taking the handy point would have sealed it. Murphy decided a goal would seal it better. Rapture.

10 Andy Moran's goal v Kerry
All-Ireland semi-final replay, Croke Park, August 26th
The moment at which Mayo became a different proposition. Five points up at half-time, the normal course of events would have seen a Kerry comeback. Moran was having none of it, catching high and trading a one-two with Cillian O'Connor to nail down the lid.

9 Conor Loftus's goal v Derry
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Castlebar, July 1st
Mayo Were Gone, Part One. Derry were visibly tiring but they still had a point lead as the clock ticked 70. This was a brilliant goal, worked the length of the pitch through precise passing. Cillian O'Connor dished off the last one for Loftus to finish with aplomb.

8 Brian Stack's goal v Galway
Connacht final, Pearse Stadium, July 9th
Roscommon were playing with a six-point lead into what felt like a six-point wind. Stack pounced onto a Galway kick-out 50 metres out, took the mark, ignored the whistle and made for goal, finishing to the bottom left corner. Game, set, Connacht title.

7 Kieran Donaghy's goal v Galway
All-Ireland quarter-final, Croke Park, July 30th
Galway had a plan for Donaghy - he treated them like errand boys sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill. A long ball in high found his big white gloves, marker flailing, sweeper floundering. Just for kicks, he turned inside on his left foot and roofed the finish.

6 Mayo's three goals in five minutes v Roscommon
All-Ireland quarter-final replay, Croke Park, August 7th
End of the road for the Rossies, and maybe the true start of it for Mayo. This was the day they said enough was enough. Roscommon were blitzed and goals from Kevin McLoughlin, Andy Moran and Keith Higgins made Mayo's point emphatically.

5 Jamie Clarke's goal v Tipperary
All-Ireland SFC qualifier, Thurles, July 15th
Only the geniuses can do it like this. Armagh were a point up in the 69th minute and this was the most elegant killshot of the year. Left alone in front of goal, he dropped the ball onto his left foot, nurdled it around the onrushing Tipp keeper and sidefooted home.

4 Diarmuid Connolly's push
Leinster SFC, Portlaoise, June 17th
Connolly was manhandled by three Carlow players on the sideline and when the call went against him, he pushed linesman Ciarán Branagan in the shoulder. And so began the summer's most tiresome circus. Pushgate, Spillanegate, CCCCgate, 12-week-gate.

3 Aidan O'Shea picks up Kieran Donaghy
All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, August 20th
The Mayo News came up with five different markers for Donaghy in the build-up and none of them were Aidan O'Shea. So when he went in full-back after five minutes, the hum around the ground was palpable. He probably lost the battle; the war was another story.

2 Con O'Callaghan's goal v Tyrone
All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, August 27th
This was supposed to be different. But then it was just the same. Tyrone gave the ball away in midfield and a quick kick-pass left O'Callaghan with the Hill beckoning him home. Dublin's new starlet needed only one sidestep and a sight of goal and that was that.

1 Paddy Durcan's point v Kerry
All-Ireland semi-final, Croke Park, August 20th
Mayo have five minutes of injury-time to find an equaliser - the only surprise is probably that they didn't find a winner too. Consummate patience from Donie Vaughan sent up Durcan for a return pass and one of Mayo's most reliable shooters did the business.

The Hill is Blue

I remember Dublin City in the Rare Old Times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7OaDDR7i8

whitey


stew

Quote from: The Hill is Blue on September 16, 2017, 05:17:39 PM
Excellent summary of the season

Well said but she is not done yet, there will be greatness in abundance tomorrow between the best two teams in the country. Mayo ABU.
Armagh, the one true love of a mans life.