GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 17 – January 10, 2015 | Page 33

course --- what if Diarmuid Connolly’s
shot had hit the Donegal net, or if Armagh could have snatched another point
or two, or if Cillian O’Connor and Aiden
O’Shea did not have a clash of heads, or if
Jimmy [McGuinness] could have masterminded just one more victory, or if Mayo
had faced Kerry in Croker, or if Monaghan had just a little extra bit of luck, or if
Kieran Donaghy had not been summoned
from the bench. Sometimes it is the apparently small things that can make a big difference in the end.
EQUALS?
Some counties will not want to dwell too
long on the past year at all, perhaps having been handed an absolute trouncing,
with their victors still searching for goals
even in extra time. In spite of all this, the
defeated manager has to acknowledge that
his players gave absolutely everything, but
luck was not with them on the day, yet he
is immensely proud of his squad. So he
should be, because every player donning a
county jersey does give of his all, the only
trouble is, the All Ireland Football Championship is not a war among equals.
Neither will the 2015 Championship be
either. It’s still only January, but we have
a fair idea who will be in the shake-up at
the end.
Tommy Moran is a former national GAA
referee and past county & provincial GAA
administrator.

33