A LAMENTABLE MATCH report that would be quickly forgotten was written and ready to go.
St Patrick’s Athletic against Galway United at the start of this month was a classic of the stalemate genre: home side struggles to break down organised unit.
Galway’s gleeful stubbornness had worn St Pat’s out, until the barriers were so brilliantly broken down through a combination of fitness and finesse.
Kian Leavy had caught the eye for St Pat’s throughout the game, bobbing and weaving through bodies with the ball at his feet as if he was scurrying down a packed Emmett Road to catch the last No. 13 bus home.
As the game began a slow trudge towards 90 minutes, there were tired bodies and minds everywhere. Then Leavy found a final spark within himself.
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His bursting run from the middle of the pitch to latch onto a Jay McClelland pass reinforced that Leavy is the fittest, most dynamic player at the club. His finish across goal was low and precise.
In an instant everything about the night changed, a sharp reminder of the joy and jolt of excitement that comes with witnessing such skill live. The frustration for home fans quickly evaporated, replaced by a feeling of opportunity and renewed belief.
Special players can do that for any team, changing the course of destiny through talent and sheer force of will. Leavy is embarking on such status for the Saints.
Two weeks on, the moment still sticks in the mind, an important memory as well as a reminder of the magic that is always threatening to break through the monotony.
For those who bemoan stats and analysis and the LinkedInification of the game, all of it remains a supplement to what remains at the core of the game here: vibrancy, talent and belief.
Shelbourne fans may be sick at losing to St Pat’s 3-2 a few days later before throwing away a two-goal lead against Shamrock Rovers for a 2-2 draw on Monday, but they still feel deeper in love with Harry Wood due to his brilliant goals and all-action performances.
The importance of this week to Shels fans will be felt in years to come because of that steadfast admiration, appreciation that will remain long after the Englishman has gone.
In real time we have witnessed the evolution of a cult hero into a figure of significance in the club’s history. That’s an experience to savour for Shels fans right now, and a fitting place to return away to Derry City.
Similarly, when Shamrock Rovers hosted the Candystripes at Tallaght Stadium last week, it was the continuation of a developing story that has the potential for a blockbuster ending.
Yes, James McClean endured a sobering night in his new midfield role as Jack Byrne and Graham Burke played rings around the Republic of Ireland centurion at different times. Byrne and Burke were a unified force in ball manipulation and swagger.
But it is Adam Brennan who is now emerging as one of those names you scan the teamsheet for as soon as it lands in the hope that you will catch a glimpse.
He is young and raw, but that helps shape the fearlessness and positivity of his play.
“There’s no point in trying to change him,” Stephen Bradley said. “We didn’t go after him to change him. We’d be hurting his development rather than aiding it, so it was just about us adjusting and allowing that to happen.”
Heimir Hallgrímsson has been sufficiently impressed to include the U19 international on his long-list provisional squad for this month’s World Cup semi-final play-off with Czechia in Prague.
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It would be an incredibly swift rise but, then again, had he opted to move to Hull City over the winter, as was expected, and impressed as much there, maybe there would be no surprise at all.
Indeed, we’re approaching 15 years since McClean made his Ireland debut off the bench – against the Czech Republic, as it happens – having made a stirring start to life in the Premier League with Sunderland.
One benefit of Brexit, of course, is that the onus is now on League of Ireland clubs to develop this calibre of talents, the importance of which was laid out in this week’s FAI strategy document for a cycle until the end of 2029.
Rovers have become used to seeing rising stars get their chance and take it before being plucked away. Brennan is certainly following that similar path, and the best bit of all is that we can all be a part of it by experiencing the magic to come for as long as it’s here.
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The magic men who provide a jolt to every fan's spirit
A LAMENTABLE MATCH report that would be quickly forgotten was written and ready to go.
St Patrick’s Athletic against Galway United at the start of this month was a classic of the stalemate genre: home side struggles to break down organised unit.
Galway’s gleeful stubbornness had worn St Pat’s out, until the barriers were so brilliantly broken down through a combination of fitness and finesse.
Kian Leavy had caught the eye for St Pat’s throughout the game, bobbing and weaving through bodies with the ball at his feet as if he was scurrying down a packed Emmett Road to catch the last No. 13 bus home.
As the game began a slow trudge towards 90 minutes, there were tired bodies and minds everywhere. Then Leavy found a final spark within himself.
His bursting run from the middle of the pitch to latch onto a Jay McClelland pass reinforced that Leavy is the fittest, most dynamic player at the club. His finish across goal was low and precise.
In an instant everything about the night changed, a sharp reminder of the joy and jolt of excitement that comes with witnessing such skill live. The frustration for home fans quickly evaporated, replaced by a feeling of opportunity and renewed belief.
Special players can do that for any team, changing the course of destiny through talent and sheer force of will. Leavy is embarking on such status for the Saints.
Two weeks on, the moment still sticks in the mind, an important memory as well as a reminder of the magic that is always threatening to break through the monotony.
For those who bemoan stats and analysis and the LinkedInification of the game, all of it remains a supplement to what remains at the core of the game here: vibrancy, talent and belief.
Shelbourne fans may be sick at losing to St Pat’s 3-2 a few days later before throwing away a two-goal lead against Shamrock Rovers for a 2-2 draw on Monday, but they still feel deeper in love with Harry Wood due to his brilliant goals and all-action performances.
The importance of this week to Shels fans will be felt in years to come because of that steadfast admiration, appreciation that will remain long after the Englishman has gone.
In real time we have witnessed the evolution of a cult hero into a figure of significance in the club’s history. That’s an experience to savour for Shels fans right now, and a fitting place to return away to Derry City.
Similarly, when Shamrock Rovers hosted the Candystripes at Tallaght Stadium last week, it was the continuation of a developing story that has the potential for a blockbuster ending.
Yes, James McClean endured a sobering night in his new midfield role as Jack Byrne and Graham Burke played rings around the Republic of Ireland centurion at different times. Byrne and Burke were a unified force in ball manipulation and swagger.
But it is Adam Brennan who is now emerging as one of those names you scan the teamsheet for as soon as it lands in the hope that you will catch a glimpse.
He is young and raw, but that helps shape the fearlessness and positivity of his play.
“There’s no point in trying to change him,” Stephen Bradley said. “We didn’t go after him to change him. We’d be hurting his development rather than aiding it, so it was just about us adjusting and allowing that to happen.”
Heimir Hallgrímsson has been sufficiently impressed to include the U19 international on his long-list provisional squad for this month’s World Cup semi-final play-off with Czechia in Prague.
It would be an incredibly swift rise but, then again, had he opted to move to Hull City over the winter, as was expected, and impressed as much there, maybe there would be no surprise at all.
Indeed, we’re approaching 15 years since McClean made his Ireland debut off the bench – against the Czech Republic, as it happens – having made a stirring start to life in the Premier League with Sunderland.
One benefit of Brexit, of course, is that the onus is now on League of Ireland clubs to develop this calibre of talents, the importance of which was laid out in this week’s FAI strategy document for a cycle until the end of 2029.
Rovers have become used to seeing rising stars get their chance and take it before being plucked away. Brennan is certainly following that similar path, and the best bit of all is that we can all be a part of it by experiencing the magic to come for as long as it’s here.
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