IT’S THE INDIVIDUAL duel that commands most of the attention before Dublin and Mayo showdowns.
On the Dublin side there is Diarmuid Connolly, their gifted playmaker who pulls the attacking strings in an expert fashion.
On the Mayo side there is Lee Keegan, the rampaging half-back whose high level of performance is reflected in the three All-Star awards he has picked up in the past four season.
Their match-up in the drawn All-Ireland was as fascinating as we had expected. Keegan significantly stifled the impact of Connolly, an aspect of the game that helped explain Mayo’s success in competing with the champions.
The battle between the players is a divisive topic amongst fans, a well-worn argument about whether the laws of the game are flouted as they combat.
Ger Brennan knows what a defensive role like Keegan’s entails in the inter-county game.
As a St Vincent’s club mate of Connolly, he’s also well aware of the 29 year-old attacker’s football ability.
“Any forward is going to be targeted by a back, and that comes with the territory.
“Obviously the better you are, the more attention you are going to get. You call it gamesmanship or whatever, I’m fine with that.
“And if he’s getting that attention, then he has to suck it up and get on with it.
“He’s not one for giving out to linesmen or referees or umpires, maybe does he have to do that, or someone has to do that on his behalf?
“If he played a bit closer to the Mayo goalmouth for a couple of minutes, maybe Keegan mightn’t get away with as much of the pulling and dragging.
“Which I’m fine with too as a back, if you can get away with it, go for it!”
Brennan believes Connolly’s reputation can count unfairly against him at times.
“I think he gets a bad rap, really. He just stands his ground. I think if you look at his discipline maybe five years ago, maybe it’s a different story in terms of how he reacted.
“But if someone is constantly pulling and dragging at you and the umpires or referees aren’t going to take some sort of action to stamp it out, then eventually you have to stand your own ground.
“The best way obviously to do it is to get the ball and stick it over the bar and set up key plays.
“When someone of Lee Keegan’s calibre is marking you, it’s a tougher challenge to get away from him.
“But that’s the challenge that you have to step up to if you want to be one of the best players.”
Connolly did escape from Keegan’s clutches in the dying embers of the drawn game, when he sized up a sideline kick into Hill 16.
Brennan had a ringside seat as Connolly eschewed the easy option to retain possession and tried to nail the point that would have pushed Dublin two clear.
“From Diarmuid’s point of view – and where I was sitting – I was just with Mossie Quinn and we were behind it. And I kind of fancied of him to get it.
“But I also said to myself, if it goes wide, based on David Clarke’s previous three kick outs, it’s a score because he was under pressure himself. He had one or two poor kick outs.
“But in fairness to Clarke, he got the ball out nice and quickly and Mayo went up and scored. Diarmo in hindsight would have kept the ball in play and ran down the clocks.
“He probably wasn’t thinking really. He plays off his instinct a lot of the time and it was just an instinctive shot for him.
“I had a look at statistics from sideline shots this year. I think there’s been 18 sideline attempts in this year’s Championship and 30% of them have gone over. Which is a pretty low return.
“I’d say if he was to take 18 shots, he would get 60% of them, given the skill set he has.”
The spotlight will fall again on Connolly for next Saturday’s replay but Brennan doesn’t agree that the 2014 All-Star requires a standout showing in a final to cement his place amongst Dublin football greats.
“I don’t think so. Like, the amount of work he does off the ball as well, when the highlights of a game are shown on television, – people want to see scores, that’s what excites people.
“But as a player, or as a defender, what excites me is to see a centre-forward working back or a corner-forward working back and tracking their man.
“Their man mightn’t get the ball but the forward might have sprinted 50 or 60 yards to stop them getting the ball.
“And I think that’s something that Diarmuid does an awful lot, and all the other Dublin players do as well, a lot of off the ball running.
“I think certainly he’s certainly etched his name, he’s there among the greats and the legends.”
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Former Dublin footballer Ger Brennan and former Mayo footballer Enda Varley crossed swords at AIG Insurance’s offices today.
AIG are offering Dublin supporters the chance to take advantage of discounted insurance which could save them up to 15% on car and home policies. Call 1890 50 27 27 or log on to www.aig.ie/dubs to get a quote.
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