GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 34 – September 19, 2015 | Page 24

THE ULTIMATE GOAL
– TOMMY MORAN
SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

Image: gaa.ie

On the eve of the All Ireland Football decider, Tommy Moran is back to contemplate defeat, second tier championships, the semi-finals, and of course the final this Sunday.
Mayo probably felt that they had scored the ultimate goal
when Andy Moran ore through the Dublin defence, unselfishly off-loaded to Cillian O’Conner who performed acrobatics skills to toe-poke the ball past Stephen Cluxton. Could
this be the score that would finally kill off the Dublin challenge, could Mayo finish on a high as they had done six days
before?

trained and worked, planed and plotted, met every demand
from team management, trainers and strength and conditioning experts and their county board – they wanted so
much to win Sam [Maguire Cup], not only for themselves but
for their county, their sponsors, their faithful supporters, for
everyone with a passion for the green and red of Mayo. Sport
is cruel and dreams were dashed again. The Dubs started the
year with the same goals as Mayo –and the three goals they
crashed into the Davin Stand end saw them qualify to meet
old rivals Kerry. Mayo must wait once more.

SECOND TIER
DASHED DREAMS
Their ultimate, ultimate goal was to get back into the All
Ireland and get the opportunity, once and for all, to bury all
the legends, close calls and hard luck stories. This team had

24

So much effort is put in by players in every county in preparing for the championship and the further you progress
the more difficult it becomes. Counties that are beaten in
their provincial championship and again in the Qualifiers