KEY MOMENTS THAT SHAPED THE LEAGUE

‘You find out life’s this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game — life or football — the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it.’

Al Pacino ‘Any Given Sunday’

One would assume that after more than eight hours of football action, no single incident would dictate how an entire league campaign would pan out. But sometimes one single incident can have extraordinary consequences.

Take this spring’s Allianz Football League campaign, where the fortunes of several counties were dictated by just one play.

1: DIVISION 3 ROUND 2 WESTMEATH 1-11, CLARE 0-13

The sides were level near the end when Clare’s Cormac Murray found the net from close range, only for referee David Murnane to disallow the score for a supposed square ball infringement. His decision was hotly disputed by Clare. To rub salt in their wounds, Westmeath’s Ronan O’Toole (below) then kicked the winning point which ultimately resulted in Westmeath pipping Clare by one point for promotion to Division 2.

2: DIVISION 4 ROUND 3 LEITRIM 3-7, WEXFORD 2-9

Wexford looked on the brink of victory in Páirc Seán MacDiarmada when a ‘Hail Mary’ lob from Ryan O’Rourke into the Wexford square changed everything. Though Eoin Porter emerged with the ball, referee Mark Dorrigan pointed to the penalty spot, citing a pull on Barry McNulty. O’Rourke completed his hat-trick by slotting home the penalty. Wexford boss John Hegarty made a prescient remark afterwards: “Ultimately that decided the game and perhaps decided our league campaign for the year.” And that’s exactly how it turned out. They finished level on points and though Wexford had a better scoring difference, Leitrim secured promotion because they won the head-to-head.

3: DIVISION 2 ROUND 4 CORK 1-14, FERMANAGH 0-16

Pointless Cork were staring into the abyss when they travelled to Ederney to face Fermanagh, who had three points from their opening three fixtures. The hosts were a point ahead in the 72nd minute when a fisted ball from Ruairí Deane across the Erne goal was tapped to the net by Cork sub Maurice Shanley. Garvan Jones replied with two points during the remaining five minutes of injury time, but the visitors held out. The result changed the trajectory of the campaign for both teams as Cork took five out of a possible six points to finish fourth while Fermanagh secured just two more points and were relegated.

4: DIVISION 1 ROUND 1 TYRONE 0-17, ROSCOMMON 1-11

Even though they had midfielder Conn Kilpatrick red-carded, Tyrone looked in control in Omagh until the visitors staged a late comeback. A fisted goal from Cian Connolly (above) would have cut the deficit to four points and set up a grandstand finish. However, referee Martin McNally disallowed the goal for a square ball infringement. Though Roscommon did narrow the gap to three points, Tyrone held out. The result effectively decided the fate of the two counties. Tyrone finished fifth whereas Roscommon were relegated. Had Roscommon won in Omagh they would have survived, and Tyrone would have been relegated.

5: DIVISION 1 ROUND 1 MONAGHAN 3-9, DUBLIN 1-14

Deep in injury time, two-time Footballer of the Year Brian Fenton (below) made a rare mistake, coughing up possession. The visitors swept the ball downfield before Stephen O’Hanlon hit the winning point for the Ulster side. But such was Fenton’s influence in Dublin’s next six matches, one wonders whether he took such a personal affront to the error that he vowed to be at his influential best for the rest of the spring.