Joe Brolly: The era of the super-forward

JIM Gavin has ushered in the era of the super-forward.

Malachy O’Rourke’s mistake was leaving his on the sub’s bench. Darren McCurry calls himself ‘The Dazzler’, which is not only accurate, but typifies his modesty. In the Mayo game, Malachy eventually turned to him with 15 minutes to go and he dazzled to the tune of 0-6, winning Tyrone the game. He would make a good fairground attraction: “Roll up, roll up, watch the amazing Dazzler shoot from any distance and angle with either foot.”

Instead of picking him for the Kerry game, negative Malachy again left him on the bench in favour of an obviously inferior player (aren’t they all?). Then, with 25 minutes to go, he was forced to bring him on. Darren promptly did his thing, destroying Kerry’s defence without ever being near enough to them for a hand to be laid on him. It was a brilliant and hilarious 10 points. “Roll up, roll up” indeed.

Glist: The reigning champs on the club scene

Tyrone complained about the umpire but the losing of the game is down to Malachy. Umpires are untrained. They are the referee’s friend or beloved bachelor uncle or even grandfather. There are no eye tests. No umpire assessments. No formal requirements. One may as well bring the family labrador. This is just the way things are. The problem is not with the umpire. It is with the system. One might as well complain about the weather.

On the Thursday night after the quarter final, the Dazzler was back with his beloved Edendork. They played championship favourites and 2025 All-Ireland finalists Errigal Ciaran, the home club of Malachy O’Rourke. Darren scored 0-17 in an entirely casual display of overwhelming firepower. Malachy was unavailable for comment.

If Malachy squandered his super-forward and Tyrone’s chance, Kerry certainly didn’t. David Clifford is another two-footed purveyor of all the skills. If he played for Tyrone, he would probably be on the bench. He scored 1-8 against Tyrone, though as the Dazzler pointed out in the Edendork clubhouse, “it took him the full 70 minutes.”

Kerry’s super forward’s averages have doubled since the new rules. Against Armagh in the previous game, David scored 1-10. His championship average in 2025/2026 is 0-10. Which means that Kerry’s opponents start the game with a handicap of minus 10 – that is, they have to score 10 points just to get level. This is why Kerry won the 2025 All-Ireland and why they are on course to do the double (if they can beat Dublin). The Kingdom are currently developing other potential super forwards, including Dylan Geaney, because they know that in the new game, they cannot be marked.

Mayo have a potential super-forward in Kobe McDonald, but he would need a few years at this level to learn the required precision. He is young and experimental, so he is as liable to blast a ball wide off the outside of the boot just for the fun of it as he is to handpass the ball over an opponent’s head and catch it the other side, leaving us open-mouthed. He gets blocked down a lot, which again emphasises the need for a few focused years of practice and top level games.

Mayo for Sam

Joe Biden said ‘Mayo for Sam’ when he last came to Ireland, the first sign of his impending dotage. In Mayo this year, there is no hype. On the contrary, a lot of knowledgeable football people here, scarred from past butcherings by Kerry, are saying it would be better if Louth beat them.

Their kickout success in the quarter final against Cork was a staggeringly awful 45 per cent, a statistic I have not seen at this level. As a rule, that alone would guarantee defeat, except against Cork who should be banned from televised games and forced to play their games behind closed doors. The GAA community deserves to be protected. Won’t someone think of the children?

Dublin have Con O’Callaghan. Kerry have David Clifford. Louth are well structured. Unlike Westmeath they are not basking in the temporary afterglow of a Leinster championship. Their foundations, including their expert kick out press, were laid by Ger Brennan. Their coach has his own All-Ireland winning pedigree, having played at centre half when Tyrone shocked the world in 2003. But they do not have a super forward.

Jim’s gift to the nation was to release the great forwards.

Saturday’s semi-final will be great fun. But the final is on Sunday.