Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States once said 'The credit belongs to the man ... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.' I have it on good authority that he had Kevin McMenamin in mind when making that statement.
In fact he could have easily been referring to Donnachadh Walsh or James O'Donoghue either. Yesterday each of these players took the actual 'sensible option' when facing down the goalkeeper. They spat in the face of the take your point attitude, that is widely accepted by the same men who bemoan blanket defences and the lacking of attacking ingenuity in our game.
The blanket defence is not the problem in Gaelic football. A negative mindset and the fear of taking the chances that your way is the problem.
A strong defence and exhilarating attacking play are not mutually exclusive. Mayo, Kerry and Dublin have proved that within the last few weeks. Time and time again Mayo had 13 men in their own half when playing against Donegal, and yesterday Dublin and Kerry both flooded players back when out of possession. The difference between these teams and the counties who have treated us to some dower affairs over the course of the championship is not an absence of a defensive system but an absence of fear when they are in attack.
The opening goal in yesterday's match typifies this. When Colm Cooper got possession he was greeted by ten Dublin players within their own 45. A blanket defence it you will; just big enough to keep the frost out but still big enough to call it a blanket. Two sumptuous passes later the ball was in James O'Donoghue's hands and he was eye-to-eye with Stephen Cluxton.
He was brave enough to take the goal chance on and his finish was perfect. Low, hard and to the corner. Donnacadh Walsh the same.
Fast forward to the last minute of the game and Kevin McMenamin single-handedly restored my faith in football. A player, who backed himself to go against the sensible option drivel, and instead grasp the opportunity that he had gone through nine months of training to be presented with. He took a chance when most would just have fisted over the bar.
The problem of negativity in Gaelic football is nothing to with the amount of men behind the ball, it's an overall negative mindset that has been coached into players. Whether it be cynical fouling, encouraging a player to take his point when it's well within his capability to score a goal or even training a player not to flick the ball up into his hands for fear it might not work upon occasion.
I hope that both this year's semi-finals showed that a good defensive system – as opposed to a system that's defensive – should be greeted with excitement and inventiveness in how your team can approach breaking it down instead of being greeted with fear and retreat. When out of possession, tackle, work, cover back but when you have the ball make sure you make the most of it.
So now let us all recite in unison:
If you can keep your head when all about you is losing theirs and blaming it on the referee…
If you can lose corner backs, and throw a dummy, And face down keepers and show that finishing touch,
Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it,
And – what’s more- you’ll be the next Seamus Darby my son.
