Kobe McDonald in action on Sunday against Monaghan. INPHO
INPHO
MAYO GREAT KEITH Higgins was at home minding his two kids on Sunday afternoon when his phone suddenly got very busy.
Beeps and buzzes from various sporting apps and media outlets, as well as a few messages from friends, immediately grabbed his attention.
“I was like, ‘Oh no, what’s after happening here?!’” recalled the four-time All-Star defender.
It turned out that Kobe McDonald had officially landed. The 18-year-old son of another Mayo legend, Ciarán McDonald, had put 1-1 on the board at that stage after making his debut as a sub in Mayo’s National League win over Monaghan. He finished up with 1-4.
“I did have a bit of a giggle alright, I was thinking, ‘Of course he had to announce himself in a special way!’” said Higgins.
“Andy Moran tried to play down the hype for the last couple of months and all of a sudden, he comes on and hits 1-4 in 20 minutes!”
It remains to be seen if McDonald will feature again this Sunday, when Mayo host Armagh in Castlebar in Division 1.
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What’s certain is that, barring injury, the Crossmolina youngster, who is still studying for his Leaving Cert, will play for the Mayo U-20s under new manager Higgins in the Dalata Hotel Group U-20 football championship.
Keith Higgins.
But his time as a Gaelic football icon could be short-lived as Kobe has signed an AFL contract with St Kilda and will join the Melbourne club later in the year.
Higgins’ instinct is to simply let the rangy young forward play while they have him, and not to stifle his talent with overcoaching and tactics.
“I think Andy is smart enough to know that there’s some lads you have to give instruction to, in terms of what you want them to do and where you want them to make their runs,” said Higgins at the launch of the Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U-20 football championship. “But then you have to realise with the likes of Kobe, just let him go and play.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a free spirit, but there’s no point trying to tie him down either. Just let him go and let him off and let the shackles off and see what happens.
“Andy tried to play down the hype for the last couple of months and then all of a sudden, Kobe comes on and hits 1-4 in 20 minutes, it doesn’t help things!
Kobe McDonald scores a point for Mayo against Monaghan.
“What can I say about Kobe? Everyone’s known he’s a phenomenal talent for the last probably 18 months anyway. You just have to realise that the lad has literally turned 18 in December. He’s still really, really young. He was playing schools basketball and football up until December and January.
“He played the Connacht C final there two weeks ago. At that age, you have to let the lads go and play a bit of schools football and let them enjoy themselves. Andy probably had all of that in his head when he was integrating him into the seniors.
“And then obviously he comes on and makes an introduction like he did. You can kind of see even from the celebration that he’s enjoying it. I think that’s what you want to see from him at that age. Don’t be putting too much structure or too much pressure on him.”
McDonald is one of 30 different players that Moran has used in just four Division 1 games so far this season.
Darragh Beirne has impressed too, rifling 2-9 so far, and will join McDonald in playing for both Higgins’ U-20s and the Mayo seniors.
But inevitably all the focus is on towering McDonald with this perhaps his first and last season in red and green.
“He could go out in six months’ time to Australia, and it might not be for him, and he could come back home,” said Higgins. “He could have five or six great years out there and come back home, he’s still 24 years of age. You just don’t know.
“Without being boring or repeating the same line that Andy said, just make the most of him while we have him. We know he’s going to be going at the end of the summer, whenever it is. So just try to make the most of it while we have him and enjoy him while we have him, whether that’s with the seniors or the 20s.
“There’s no point trying to give out about it, or give out about the structures around the AFL. There’s nothing we can do about that now.”
Higgins, who turns 42 today, said Kobe’s Dad, Ciarán, was once his own inspiration.
“When I came in, Ciarán Mac was the God and the idol,” smiled Higgins, who played senior football and hurling for Mayo. “I remember at a training camp in Portugal, he gave me a pair of boots and I thought this was the greatest thing ever. Now all of a sudden, I’m dealing with his young fella.”
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Asked if McDonald the younger reminds him of Ciarán Mac, former defender Higgins shook his head.
“I think Kobe’s a very different player,” said ‘Zippy’. He’s obviously very, very skilful. He’s probably more of an athletic type of player than Ciarán, I think. Even though Ciarán was deceptively strong for a guy his size. I think Kobe’s obviously more of a runner.
“You saw the goal he got the last day, once he got the ball, he just took off. Whereas Ciarán was more of a footballer, on the ball, if that makes sense. I think there’s a bit more athleticism to Kobe.”
*****
* Keith Higgins was speaking as Dalata Hotel Group celebrated Year Two of their GAA Football U20 championship sponsorship
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'Enjoy him while we have him' - Higgins on Mayo's AFL-bound rising star
MAYO GREAT KEITH Higgins was at home minding his two kids on Sunday afternoon when his phone suddenly got very busy.
Beeps and buzzes from various sporting apps and media outlets, as well as a few messages from friends, immediately grabbed his attention.
“I was like, ‘Oh no, what’s after happening here?!’” recalled the four-time All-Star defender.
It turned out that Kobe McDonald had officially landed. The 18-year-old son of another Mayo legend, Ciarán McDonald, had put 1-1 on the board at that stage after making his debut as a sub in Mayo’s National League win over Monaghan. He finished up with 1-4.
“I did have a bit of a giggle alright, I was thinking, ‘Of course he had to announce himself in a special way!’” said Higgins.
“Andy Moran tried to play down the hype for the last couple of months and all of a sudden, he comes on and hits 1-4 in 20 minutes!”
It remains to be seen if McDonald will feature again this Sunday, when Mayo host Armagh in Castlebar in Division 1.
What’s certain is that, barring injury, the Crossmolina youngster, who is still studying for his Leaving Cert, will play for the Mayo U-20s under new manager Higgins in the Dalata Hotel Group U-20 football championship.
But his time as a Gaelic football icon could be short-lived as Kobe has signed an AFL contract with St Kilda and will join the Melbourne club later in the year.
Higgins’ instinct is to simply let the rangy young forward play while they have him, and not to stifle his talent with overcoaching and tactics.
“I think Andy is smart enough to know that there’s some lads you have to give instruction to, in terms of what you want them to do and where you want them to make their runs,” said Higgins at the launch of the Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U-20 football championship. “But then you have to realise with the likes of Kobe, just let him go and play.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a free spirit, but there’s no point trying to tie him down either. Just let him go and let him off and let the shackles off and see what happens.
“Andy tried to play down the hype for the last couple of months and then all of a sudden, Kobe comes on and hits 1-4 in 20 minutes, it doesn’t help things!
“What can I say about Kobe? Everyone’s known he’s a phenomenal talent for the last probably 18 months anyway. You just have to realise that the lad has literally turned 18 in December. He’s still really, really young. He was playing schools basketball and football up until December and January.
“He played the Connacht C final there two weeks ago. At that age, you have to let the lads go and play a bit of schools football and let them enjoy themselves. Andy probably had all of that in his head when he was integrating him into the seniors.
“And then obviously he comes on and makes an introduction like he did. You can kind of see even from the celebration that he’s enjoying it. I think that’s what you want to see from him at that age. Don’t be putting too much structure or too much pressure on him.”
McDonald is one of 30 different players that Moran has used in just four Division 1 games so far this season.
Darragh Beirne has impressed too, rifling 2-9 so far, and will join McDonald in playing for both Higgins’ U-20s and the Mayo seniors.
But inevitably all the focus is on towering McDonald with this perhaps his first and last season in red and green.
“He could go out in six months’ time to Australia, and it might not be for him, and he could come back home,” said Higgins. “He could have five or six great years out there and come back home, he’s still 24 years of age. You just don’t know.
“Without being boring or repeating the same line that Andy said, just make the most of him while we have him. We know he’s going to be going at the end of the summer, whenever it is. So just try to make the most of it while we have him and enjoy him while we have him, whether that’s with the seniors or the 20s.
“There’s no point trying to give out about it, or give out about the structures around the AFL. There’s nothing we can do about that now.”
Higgins, who turns 42 today, said Kobe’s Dad, Ciarán, was once his own inspiration.
“When I came in, Ciarán Mac was the God and the idol,” smiled Higgins, who played senior football and hurling for Mayo. “I remember at a training camp in Portugal, he gave me a pair of boots and I thought this was the greatest thing ever. Now all of a sudden, I’m dealing with his young fella.”
Asked if McDonald the younger reminds him of Ciarán Mac, former defender Higgins shook his head.
“I think Kobe’s a very different player,” said ‘Zippy’. He’s obviously very, very skilful. He’s probably more of an athletic type of player than Ciarán, I think. Even though Ciarán was deceptively strong for a guy his size. I think Kobe’s obviously more of a runner.
“You saw the goal he got the last day, once he got the ball, he just took off. Whereas Ciarán was more of a footballer, on the ball, if that makes sense. I think there’s a bit more athleticism to Kobe.”
*****
* Keith Higgins was speaking as Dalata Hotel Group celebrated Year Two of their GAA Football U20 championship sponsorship
*****
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GAA Gaelic Football Keith Higgins Kobe McDonald Mayo