Aidan O'Shea operated at midfield for yesterday's All-Ireland semi-final between Mayo and Kerry - briefly. It was for the throw-in. After that, he trotted into fullback where he attempted to negate the threat of Kieran Donaghy.
O'Shea did, mostly, nullify what everyone thought was one of Kerry's most potent weapons - the high ball into the Tralee man. What O'Shea failed to stop was the danger of Donaghy on the ground. The 34-year-old was superb - 'magnificent' was the word used by Joe Brolly after the game - as he proved vital in Kerry staying alive for another day in the championship.
A week previous to the match, David Brady had suggested that O'Shea might be an option to mark Donaghy. Many guffawed. On Off The Ball later in the week, former Kerry midfielder Mike Quirke called it the 'craziest idea he'd heard in a long time from a Mayo perspective'.
It was a surprising choice from Stephen Rochford and one he stuck with for the duration of the game.
There were plenty of words had between the two
There was also a lot of 'getting to know each other'
O'Shea got the better of Donaghy in the air
Donaghy got the better of O'Shea on the ground, including for Stephen O'Brien's goal
Pictures: Sportsfile
