Éire Óg Greystones
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Weekly Notes - 10th October 2007

Minor Football

Blessington deserved to win: the surprise at their not having done so would be major. Peter Keogh had, earlier in the season, described them as an exceptional team and had predicted that they would be crowned county champions.

Colm O'Rourke remarked, in the aftermath of the All-Ireland football final, that Gaelic football (hurling more emphatically so) is an honest game in the sense that if there is a discernible gap - barring exceptional circumstances- in the abilities of teams, the superior team will always win. Strategies such as massed defences are of no avail. The point option can always be capitalised on by skilful kickers, and with there being no offside rule, there are forwards always on hand to take advantage of the half-chance in the goal -mouth area.

Blessington was the better team and with the Divine not feeling it appropriate to intervene on our behalf, the aforementioned honesty of the game prevailed. We congratulate Blessington on a deserved victory. But by 4 goals? Go fírinne, sin ceist eile ar fad - a horse of a different hue. There was no shame for Éire Óg in this defeat. They never capitulated and indeed were picking off scores to the very end - unfortunately these were of the minor variety. This was a fine open game replete with attractive passages of football, spectacular athleticism and lovely exhibitions of skills from individuals from both sides. It was well into the 2nd half before the game began to move inexorably to its anticipated end. Blessington's superiority lay in a forward division of outstanding ability which was better able to avail of its chances than its Éire Óg counterpart. The Éire Óg wide count was high and a few good goal opportunities were not availed of. In general play, however, our lads contested very well and Blessington must have been surprised at the intensity of the Éire Óg resistance which had them stretched throughout the game. A fact testified to by incidents of cramp in the Blessington ranks in the latter stages.

In the 4th quarter the light went out for Éire Óg with Blessington's 3rd goal (before that we had clawed back from 6 point to 4 point deficits on a number of occasions and an Éire Óg goal would have had a huge significance) which came from a decision which went against us. Roddy Carroll was soloing up the right from well inside the opposition's 50 and being subjected to much extra-legal attention which should have merited a free. The ball found its way over the sideline and a flawed judgement gave it to Blessington.

A propos, and by way of general observation - Roddy was clearly the subject of special attention throughout the game and his path was impeded on many occasions by foul play employed by one player in particular. Yet it was not until very late in the game that the yellow card appeared. On the other hand, one of our players was accorded such an injunction for what was an awkward 'cynicless' tackle.

There is surely an argument for penalising teams, as is done in basketball and rugby, for persistent fouling where the next foul would receive a punishment which would discourage the continuation of the practice. The strategic foul has long been a weapon in the armoury of successful All-Ireland teams, especially in football. This is invariably reflected in a higher foul count. Post-match analysis seldom broaches this subject (e.g. the foul on Shane Ryan in the All-Ireland semi-final should have had a straight red).

Flight of the Earls

Two of this parish, Odhrán and Caoimhe were among those who took part in the Flight of the Earls walk from Donegal to Rathmullen. They were surprised to see the familiar faces of the Deeney family in the party awaiting them at the end of their trek. This presence is easily explained. Their father, Seán, is a native of those parts and was involved in the celebrations (if this is an appropriate word) associated with the traumatic event which saw the cream of Ulster aristocracy (revisionists tell us that they were anything but benign and that Mother England's replacements were more sympathetic to the serfs) expelled from the country after the defeat at Kinsale. Seán had sailed from Dublin in the Jeannie Johnson.

Club Development Draw

Has our luck turned? The September draw, as well as producing many lesser prizes, saw Paul Cunningham of Delgany win a 1000euro prize - so maybe the October and final draw will see an Éire Óg subscriber hit the jackpot