Opinion: The value of a footballing heads up

By Michael McMullan

We had relatives staying with us from Canada and the US recently. After a few days in Paris, they jetted across to Ireland.

Before checking in with us, they took in Limerick’s hurling semi-final win over Clare.

As we shot the breeze over dinner, they were asking all sorts of questions about hurling. It struck a chord. They’ve formed a lasting impression of Irish sport.

With Limerick having to dig out a result from the jaws of defeat, I assured our guests they’d picked a brilliant day to be in Croke Park.

They began to ask me about football. They’d never have heard about Jim Gavin or Éamonn Fitzmaurice. We didn’t mention the FRC’s remit.

As I reached for another spoonful of coleslaw, I wondered what they’ve have thought about the days when everyone was allowed to park the bus.

Opinion: Time for a new mission

Imagine it was a few years back and they’d opted to watch a Leinster final that Dublin ending winning by a zillion points while still dodging along in first gear.

Imagine trying to explain Jim McGuinness putting everyone bar Colm McFadden behind the ball for his experiment against Dublin in 2011.

There was a bit of me mesmerised by this tactical ploy and how it was developed into a winning formula within 12 months.

Imagine a group of guests, with no skin in the game, taking that impression back across the Atlantic. They’d not have noticed much difference from a pedestrian soccer game.

That would be the Irish sporting imprint they’ve have explained to the folks back home.

The football championship isn’t perfect but it’s within touching distance. Westmeath’s story has been remarkable. Wicklow coming back from 13 points down to make Tailteann Cup history is another impressive tale.

The incredible progress of Louth. The sheer bravery of Monaghan to merge grit and brilliance. Jack McCarron’s wand. Darren McCurry’s electrifying accuracy.

There are the usual suspects. David Clifford normalising a 1-10 tally to the point that tongue-in-cheek keyboard warriors make fun of him only hitting 1-5 against the Dubs. Only 1-5. Imagine if Jim McGuinness had a 1-5 man beside McFadden in 2011.

Then you have Dylan Geaney who has come from nowhere, relatively speaking, to give Kerry another excellent option up front. We’ve had a bit of everything and that’s before you step onto planet Mayo.

I have to admit; they never came into my orbit when pondering the winner of Sam earlier in the year.

Stability

Why? They chopped and changed their team far too much. As they were struggling to find their feed, I felt they needed stability.

While we have to caveat it slightly with Louth failing to deliver on their potential, Mayo deserve massive credit for their semi-final over the Wee County.

Ryan O’Donoghue was top drawer. Kobe McDonald didn’t have his greatest day but still kicked 0-4 and looked like he belonged in Croke Park.

When Darragh Beirne was suffocated by St Patrick’s Maghera’s defence in last year’s Hogan Cup final, Croke Park was empty.

Fast forward to now and he played like he’d been there for years.

Going into this weekend’s All-Ireland final, I am still going with my verdict of Kerry that I’ve had since the start of the year.

That said, I give Mayo every chance. I don’t think anyone outside the Kingdom could begrudge them an All-Ireland.

I was chatting to a Roscommon man who lives on my regular walking route at home. He even wondered at the current street value of his native county’s Connacht title.

The football fan in me hopes that Sunday’s final is the classic it has the potential to be. Why? Firstly, I love entertainment. Who doesn’t?

Secondly, we Ulster folk need to fully wake up and realise that our brand of football isn’t what is needed in Croke Park.

The ground between wing back and the inside forward line is a kick. We can’t always run it. Think of the energy we are wasting.

When I look back at one of the favourite games, Armagh’s All-Ireland win over Kerry in 2002. I think of Aidan O’Rourke and Kieran McGeeney having the luxury of Tony McEntee as the second centre back.

I can still see O’Rourke and ‘Geezer’ floating spinners into Ronan Clarke, with Stevie McDonnell and Diarmuid Marsden feeding off them.

Armagh made kicking the ball to Ronan Clarke part of their 2002 formula

The previous year, Enda Muldoon caught a floater above Gary Fahy before firing to the Galway net. Bar a spell at the end of 2023 semi-final with Kerry, this was the only time Derry looked like adding a second All-Ireland.

I also think back to how Jack O’Connor used Tommy Walsh and Kieran Donaghy to unlock defences.

My guests from Canada and the US will never have heard of Bobby McCaul never mind how Monaghan’s use of him changed their season.

Just last week, Colm Parkinson spoke on his Smaller Fish podcast about Kevin McStay’s footballing think-tank pondering an idea to limit the number of fist passes.

I don’t think it is an option. Even if it was, think of the poor referees who are already looking through a forest of new rules.

I flew a kite on my social media channels. Do we limit the number of successive hand passes? Yay or nay? It wasn’t a scientific experiment but, as expected, it was a resounding nay.

While the FRC have given us a more enjoyable game, we still have a bit to go. Kicking the ball away is a waste of time. Running every ball is a waste of diesel.

Watching Mayo’s win over Louth was the alarm bell we needed. Balance is key. Also, nobody sums it up better than Mike Breen. Head up. What’s on? Kick it if there’s room. Keep it is it’s not. That’s what the bounce and solo are for.

You had Ryan O’Donoghue as an inside man in the first half and a playmaker for Tommy Conroy in the second half.

This is all too complicated for a lunch with guests who have just flown in from Paris.

When I was able to tell them football is now more exciting than the hurling, they went home with some perspective.

I’m looking forward to 2027 to see if Ulster teams can make more of a shift towards heads-up football.

– Thoughts? m.mcmullan@gaeliclife.com