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The Schemozzle: Straight talking Tomás Ó Sé hits the mark

A classic piece of Croke Park commentary, and no hollow scores for Jim McGuinness

One piece of play from Dublin’s John Small against Galway did not impress Tomás Ó Sé at all. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Paul Fitzpatrick
Mon Jul 1 2024 - 06:00

Tomás Ó Sé is a man who knows what he likes – and dislikes. That much was clear for anyone listening to RTÉ Radio 1 during Saturday’s double-header at Croke Park.

After coming back from an update on the minor hurling final, host Des Cahill moved on to soccer and threw a curveball at the Kerryman.

“The Euros, it’s round of 16, the last 16, first match this afternoon, Switzerland v Italy,” said Cahill. “Tomás Ó Sé, who would you pick in that one, Switzerland and Italy?

“Ehhhh ... Italy, Des,” replied Ó Sé.

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“Yeah, well, it’s Switzerland, two-nil. Freuler and Vargas.

“I’ve no interest in the soccer, Des,” Tomás said.

“Have you not?”

“Absolutely none, no.”

Later, when John Small put Dublin 0-13 to 0-11 ahead with an attacking mark, Ó Sé again didn’t dress things up.

“That was a handy mark. I hate that mark, number one, and it was just a handy 15-yard pass, too easy ... It shouldn’t be ... I hate it, I hate it,” he said.

A Swift one

Galway Bay FM’s Ollie Turner’s commentary after the final whistle on Saturday was an instant classic, with 520,000 views on X, formerly Twitter, and rising.

After a result beyond his Wildest Dreams, the excitable announcer even encouraged the Swifties to abandon the sold-out gig over the road and make their way to Croker.

“It’s the greatest day that Galway football has seen in over two decades! And every man, woman and child stands to applaud Pádraic Joyce and his gallant Galway men. Sweet mother of Jesus! They have pulled off the unthinkable,” he declared.

“Forget about Taylor Swift – shake it off in the Aviva and come over here to Croke Park because you’re witnessing the west awake. Gaillimh Abu!”

Some might say he needs to calm down. Then again, it’s a love story, so ...

Misses and merit

With 13 minutes to go on Sunday, Paddy McBrearty had a goal chance, diving to connect with his hand but seeing his attempt strike the post before the rebound was bundled home.

Ten years ago in the All-Ireland final, Donegal had a similar opportunity when current selector Colm McFadden’s diving, palmed effort struck the other post at the Canal End.

Jim McGuinness, unusually, later stated in his autobiography that he had hoped McFadden would miss that chance.

“Colm is reaching for the goal and I have one thought,” he wrote. “I don’t want the goal.

“I didn’t want it because he would have felt shallow. Nothing we stood for was in our performance. We would have been sneaking something out of it. We didn’t deserve it.”

Tipp top

Tipperary minors’ gutsy All-Ireland MHC win has propelled them to the top of the minor roll of honour.

Ominously, most of their 22 titles have been won in clusters. While they only got their hands on the Irish Press Cup once in the 1960s and ‘70s and again just once between 1983 and 2005, Tipp won four in five years in the 1930s, eight between 1947 and ‘59, three from 1976-82 and have just won a second in three seasons.

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Hard to believe Roscommon are out after losing only 4 championship matches this year. – @trevornaughton on X.

Number: 5/6

Donegal defender Peadar Mogan’s shot conversion rate on Sunday.

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