Like most, Mick Lawton thought of Babs Keating when he saw Robert O'Donnell step onto the Cappamore pitch on Tuesday night.
The reason: the Pallasgreen full-forward was playing barefoot.
An exciting game between Pallasgreen and Ballybricken-Bohermore, played in front of a small crowd of hardcore supporters, finished 2-13 a piece in the East Limerick Brian Butler Cup semi-final.
Remarkably, despite playing much of the game without boots, O'Donnell scored an incredible 1-11.
Seamus McElligott of Sport Action Photography was at the game and captured some superb shots of O'Donnell.
"It's unusual, to say the least," Lawton, the Pallasgreen club secretary, told Balls.
I was as surprised as anybody. I haven't seen it in a long, long time. It didn't have any adverse effect on his game. He did it anyway, and survived.
It harks back to Babs Keating in the 70s. I haven't seen it since but I did see it last night. Whether I'll see it again or not, I don't know.
O'Donnell did put on some footwear midway through the second half. 1-4 of his total came from play - his goal was scored without boots. Darren Roche scored Pallasgreen's second goal. O'Donnell also fired over a late free from 50m to level the match and send it to a replay.
A talented hurler, O'Donnell played with Pallasgreen through the underage ranks and has featured in all of the club's junior games this year. Tuesday night's match saw Pallasgreen's Junior B side face Ballybricken-Bohermore's Junior A team.
"It was an enjoyable match, a good match," said Lawton, who was unsure why his fellow clubman chose to play three-quarters of the game without boots.
"We would have been in trouble without him.
"He also had a penalty and it hit the post. He had an exciting night."
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
Picture credit: Seamus McElligott/Sport Action Photography
