AIB All-Ireland club SFC final,
Cuala (Dublin) v Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone),
Croke Park, 3.40 — Live on TG4
A return to times past with a couple of teams making a first appearance at this level. Neither have had things easy en route to this weekend. In last week’s semi-final, Errigal were seconds from elimination before Peter McCartan’s point brought extra time.
In the Dublin final, having dominated much of the play, Cuala in quick succession lost their lead to a Kilmacud goal and top forward Con O’Callaghan to a fictitious red card but the 14 men still edged the end game by 0-2 to 0-1.
That loss of momentum has become an almost constant companion. In the Leinster final a six-point lead evaporated in the final quarter and during last week’s All-Ireland semi-final, Coolera-Strandhill got up off the canvas to cut five unanswered points off a seven-point deficit.
It’s all very well to pay tribute to the Dublin champions’ resilience in halting the momentum of matches going against them but would there be many takers for their ability to do the same this weekend if they let Errigal get a run on them?
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The stars have aligned for a Darragh Canavan-Con O’Callaghan showdown
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The Canavan brothers, Darragh and Ruairí, put on a show in Newbridge but Dr Crokes took few special precautions and at one stage after half-time, a ball went into Darragh, who had Gavin White alone for company and for all the Kerry defender’s pacy virtues, you knew it was a score.
Cuala won’t set up that way. They have Michael Fitzsimons in imperious form, organising and maintaining structure in defence — as well as getting forward to telling effect on well-chosen counterattacks. The other backs are for the most part young and fast if prone to occasional ill-discipline, which ended in the sin bin in the two most recent matches.
Anyway, Errigal have had to show plenty of resilience themselves — one-point wins in the county and provincial finals before last week’s extra time. They also have an intercounty centrefield and if Croke’s made a good fist of limiting the influence of Joe Oguz and Ben McDonnell in the middle, the scoreboard bill was 1-2.
Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne and Peter Duffy won’t be overwhelmed in the sector either but will need constant vigilance and effort, which they’re good at.
If the Canavans are a clear and present danger for Cuala, the Dubliners’ family firm, the O’Callaghan’s, have played a big role. Niall sparked in the impressive win over Naas but Con has been exceptional.
At the end of last week with the team a man down and the scoreboard tight, it was he who not only kicked vital frees but also drifted to catch two restarts in the closing minutes.
This has all the look of a cliffhanger. Maybe having a five-star general at the back as well as up front plus greater pace swings it to Cuala.
Verdict: Cuala
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