DICK CLERKIN

O’ROURKE TEACHES KERRY LESSON BUT WILL THEY LEARN FROM IT?

KERRY fans were already well on their way home when David Clifford clinically broke the hearts of thousands of Monaghan supporters in Clones yesterday. My own included.

In a game that never looked like anything other than a historic Monaghan win, Malachy O’Rourke didn’t deserve less than the full two points on offer, after tactically dominating his more decorated sideline opponent for the full 70-plus minutes.

At a time when pundits, politicians and plenty of others are taking cheap shots at the GAA, and football in particular, yesterday’s occasion in Clones evoked everything that is good about our game.

It also makes the feeling of ‘what-if’ from a Monaghan point of view all the more hard to take.

On the way into the game I got a photo op with my son and the Sam Maguire Cup, which was being displayed on public view. Cailean is going to games now at a time when Monaghan are rightfully in the conversation for who will lift the coveted trophy.

Sitting with my father Hugo at the game, we both have our own Kerry scars, from similar Kerry near victories in 1985 and 2007 respectfully.

I have only vague memories of their draw in 1985, and I doubt Cailean will remember much about yesterday in years to come, but regardless of the cruel finish, it is a game that will be remembered in Monaghan for years to come.

Malachy and the Monaghan team took a lot of criticism after their shock defeat to Fermanagh earlier this summer; a defeat that seems almost implausible now. Regardless, Malachy and his players deserve immense credit for their positive approach yesterday and how they took the game to Kerry from the very first minute.

Playing with width and pace, they created numerous opportunities in the opening half.

Aggressively pushing up on Kerry’s kick-outs made life uncomfortable for Kerry’s netminder Brian Kelly and it was odd there appeared no change to the strategy from the Kerry management.

With Rory Beggan imperious from his own tee and dead balls, Monaghan completely controlled the opening half, and should have been much further ahead than four points at half-time.

I picked out David Clifford as Kerry’s key man a few weeks ago, and as the Kingdom collectively floundered for large parts of the game, his timely interventions of class eventually proved to be the bridge that kept Kerry in an All-Ireland race that they have no right to still be in.

Conor McManus must have felt he was playing a different game, such was the space being afforded to him, and he duly made hay in a career-defining display.

Finishing with 1-9, Conor was unmarkable, and further cemented his reputation as an all-time great of the game, and almost a shoo-in to pick up his third All Star award.

I met his mother Mary on the pitch afterwards, and all I could do was give her a hug, with tears almost in my eyes. How proud she must have been of her son.

Regardless of the heroic efforts given by Conor and every other Monaghan player yesterday, the video analysis in the week ahead will not provide them with much comfort.

The many wasted chances permeating throughout an otherwise five star performance will make for uncomfortable viewing.

While Eamonn Fitzmaurice barely lives to fight another day, Malachy O’Rourke will have further added to his reputation after yesterday’s thrilling contest.

Only our Ulster final victory over Donegal five years ago comes close to rivalling the level of Monaghan’s performance.

PRAISE

Some days the critical knife needs brandishing in post-match analysis, but yesterday only praise and gratitude needed to be directed towards Malachy and the Monaghan players.

Not only did they swell the Monaghan faithful with more pride than they thought possible, they contributed to a fantastic spectacle that the Championship so badly needed.

As I write this, looking out on to a now deserted St Tiernach’s Park, it feels like a season-ending defeat, but Monaghan are still very much in this year’s Championship.

Needing a result against Galway, on race weekend, it has the makings of another memorable occasion for the already well-travelled Monaghan supporters.

However, it will struggle to rival what was served up in Clones yesterday.

I look forward to watching Clifford in the years to come, but I will forever curse him for robbing us of a memorable victory in Clones yesterday.

Yet genius rarely cares much for the feelings of mortals.