Stevie McDonnell - Leave Me Alone

[reddgnhand]

Easy, I piss and moan to my mates and I leave it at that

stew you better not let any of McKeevers family overhear you moaning to your mates or he'll be off to the papers asking you to get off his back.

[ONeill]

In today's IN:

McDonnell's critics are not fit to lace his shooting boots  
THE BOOT ROOM 
by Brendan Crossan

A FAN'S prerogative to scream and shout abuse at a player during a game hasn't always sat easily with me.

Just because he/she (and the female fraternity aren't exempt here) has paid a few euro into a ground shouldn't mean that they be allowed to direct a load of verbal at an opposing player. These things happen of course and, really, there's not a lot any of us can do about it.

Maybe we've all been guilty of growling at an opponent from beyond the wire. But to scream and shout abuse at one of your own players is incomprehensible, especially if you're shouting beyond the wire at Stevie McDonnell. This is what a section of the GAA's watching public has sunk to.

In their irrational minds, some so-called Armagh supporters have decided to abuse one of their own.

Let me paint a picture. In the lead-up to last Sunday's NFL match against Louth in Crossmaglen, McDonnell was dosed with 'flu'. Given Armagh's lack of recognised scoring forwards, McDonnell decided to play against Louth. A tenacious Louth defender by the name of Alan Page carried out his task in the best way he could. He harassed and harried McDonnell throughout the game, sometimes by fair and sometimes by foul means.

Most of the time, Longford referee John Bannon appeared to give the benefit of the doubt to Page. The heavy ground made last Sunday a day for defenders. Every time McDonnell got the ball in his pouch he would slip in the mud and concede that half yard he had on Page.

The Louth man was lauded for getting a few last-gasp blocks in, and when McDonnell did get free his aim was off target.

In many ways it was a typical battle between two men on a rainy Sunday afternoon in February. McDonnell took a fair bit of stick from several opponents as the two teams made their way to the changing rooms at half-time. They goaded him about his shooting. Allstar, my arse... that type of thing.

In truth, Armagh never looked like winning the game, not until McDonnell caught Paul McGrane's hoisted pass in the dying seconds and buried the ball into Louth's net with all the conviction and anger in his soul. McDonnell went mad with celebration. St Oliver Plunkett Park rejoiced too as Armagh nicked a win by a single point.

Afterwards, McDonnell didn't hang around. He got showered and got home to his two young children and partner. It turned out he was up all night with the 'flu'. He was hoping to sweat the illness out him that day. He ended up missing work the following morning. On Monday night he didn't sound too great either when this reporter telephoned him.

Now, from my previous dealings, McDonnell is a mild-mannered, easy-going, friendly sort of person. Hyperbole is something you would never associate with the Killeavey clubman.

So when he decided to vent his spleen on those spectators who have shouted obscenities at him over the last few weeks for being "too greedy" and not being up to the job, we can safely assume the abuse has been pretty bad. It is also important to point out that his views were unprompted.

Now, this reporter has covered three of Armagh's games so far this year. McDonnell played in two of them. He played against Monaghan and Louth. Without his contribution in both games, Armagh would not have won.

During the Orchard county's McKenna Cup tie against Monaghan last month, the side was struggling to gain control, until McDonnell popped up with two ice-cool frees near the end. His contribution against Louth last Sunday was even greater: 1-4.

Bearing this in mind and the amount of key players unavailable to manager Joe Kernan, the abuse McDonnell has been receiving is, quite simply, outrageous.

If you think that this reporter is merely trying to find favour with McDonnell or is simply appealing to the player's ego, then consider Eamonn McEneaney's words after Sunday's game. Or Niall McCready's.

After his side lost to McDonnell's late winner, McEneaney declared that McDonnell's mentality was something to be admired. He said the Armagh forward was of the view that a goal could win the game for his team rather than thinking the game was over.

Former Donegal defender Niall McCready marked him during their memorable All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park in 2003.

Up until the 56th minute, McCready was having a fine afternoon on McDonnell. Every ball sent in to the square, McCready was first. From high up in the Hogan Stand that day, McDonnell looked demoralised by McCready's defensive master-class.

"I was playing in front of him for most of the game and a high crossfield ball came in, I was caught at sea," recalls McCready.

"He was as cool as a fox, he kept his hands in the air longer than mine. He kept his composure and he stuck the ball in the net. I thought I had control of him, but that's the mark of a real class forward. If he gets an opportunity he'll punish you."

McCready adds: "McDonnell's a class bit of stuff, he's up there with Canavan. When I played inter-county football, I noticed the classy forwards never panicked.

"In the Ulster final in Croke Park a year later, holy God, he kicked two scores with his back to goal and ripped me to ribbons."

McDonnell joined the Armagh senior panel in 1999 and has helped the county win no fewer than six Ulster titles and the Sam Maguire in 2002. Armagh gaels have never had it so good, and some of them now take silverware for granted.

McDonnell's performances to date this term need no defence. He's certainly not living off the legend. He's still only 27. His flame burns as ferocious as any of his peers.

So those Armagh 'fans' seeking to shout at one of their own from the sanctity of the crowd should do one of two things: either shut up or stay at home.

It is, of course, easy to lose perspective in an era where players' profiles are heightened by the media. But they don't live in a bubble like other famous sportsmen and women do. They live among us. They get up in the morning and go to work just like you and me. They don't live in fancy houses with electronic gates and plush walls.

It's a real pity, but jealousy can be a vicious thing...

[Over the Bar]

Met stevie and his girl at the GPA awards.  Bought him a drink and we chatted for 5-10 mins.  Found him to be as down to earth as they come.

[Armamike]

I wasn't in that part of the ground so would it be good to get some perspective on this. Was the abuse really that bad?  and how many in the crowd were having a go - was it 1, 2, 10 or more?

[High Catch]

Im guessing it was a number between 1-5. But if people dont like what they see then they will be heard if they want to be heard. I think the whole thing has been blown out of the water. Time to forget, id say Stevie regrets doing the interview now he knows the reaction it got.

[realredhandfan]

This Armagh squad has form, in fairness the crowd gets to them, just a couple of incidents that spring to mind:
1) Big Joe V Derry at Celtic Park 05
2) Ciaran Mc Keever V Tyrone 05 Ulster final replay
3) Steven Mc Donnell 07

Would a consistent record of taking offense at spectators be typical of a focused set up?   I think not!  Its what happens inside the wire that counts.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Im guessing it was a number between 1-5. But if people dont like what they see then they will be heard if they want to be heard. I think the whole thing has been blown out of the water. Time to forget, id say Stevie regrets doing the interview now he knows the reaction it got.

Agreed - I was in the ground on Sunday and there was nothing but encouragement for Stevie. With regard to this thread, it's obvious that the momentum for it is driven by many outside Armagh - enough said!

Note:

By the way - a favour somebody, please! Could you post after me on this thread, pointing out the irony of me posting on this thread, given the argument I was making?

I would appreciate it if you would! Thanks in advance.

[Armamike]

Im guessing it was a number between 1-5.

I wouldn't have thought a couple of eejits shouting would be that newsworthy. The Irish News are getting a bit of mileage out of this one.  Where's Crossan from?

Just as well Brian McAlinden and Brian Canavan were thick skinned.

[armaghniac]

There are eejits supporting every county. Armagh has a comparatively good support and so no doubt gets a good share of the eejit community too. I expect what happened here was a couple of foulmouths sitting beside Stevies mother or girlfriend who were not as thick skinned as the two Brian's. Stevie was annoyed that they were annoyed, so to speak, and the Irish news is able to fill up their columns with this stuff.

[ONeill]

What interested me most about this was the silence from those who criticised McDonnell in the Louth/Armagh thread:

Bennydorano - pretty wasteful and shockingly greedy
holylandsniper - I thought a dreadful game, and slowly over last year or 2 he's getting greedier and greedier, he wouldnt pass to them. far too greedy today
pintsofguinness - Stevie is selfish
Armamike - McDonnell was having a stinker couldn't do a thing right until that.  He was a bit greedy ,  hiis shooting being woeful - most of the shots he took on were very scoreable

I wish the above would grow a backbone.

[pintsofguinness]

I thought this thread was about people "abusing him from the stands", I didnt hear one at that so why would I be commenting on this thread?

[Armamike]

I presume O'Neill is referring to the IN report and the context for McDonnell's performance.  O'Neill - let it  go, there's been enough said over this nothing 'story'.

[ONeill]

How could it be a nothing story when Stevie comes out and states that those who criticise him 'know nothing about football'. I think McDonnell is being harsh here.

[Tyrones own]

  "it's obvious that the momentum for it is driven by many outside Armagh"


   Rufus, would you not say it was given momentum enough by McDonnell himself without any interference.

[corn02]

A few notes:

I rarely agree with ONeill but he is right here. He should be a bit more thick skinned than this. Crying to the media does not help. Abuse is not acceptable in Sport, critism is. Every player recieves it and if constructive enough every player should listen to it.

The posters who say McDonnell never ventures past his own forty fie have not been watching the last 2 years of Armagh football. McDonnell's workrate has raised significantly - note the games against Fermanagh last year, he tracked back on every possible occasion. His tallies may not be as high as around 02 but I believe this to be partly down to his more hard working attitude.

No one would ask for Stevie to be dropped if they did they should never be allowed to a GAA match again. But his championship place is assured, if he was suffering from the flu as claimed today he should of not played for two reasons. 1 - he probably felt he was not fit enough to and 2 - let the new players have a go. I know it is the league and not the McKenna cup but we should be concentrating on surviving not winning the league if it means new players are gaining vital experience.