McDonald's late, late intervention

SEPTEMBER ROAD:WHAT A a brilliant last-gasp attempt on goal.

With more than half the Down side lining the goal, surely no one – apart from the kicker Robert Kelly – believed there was a chance of a Kildare goal.

While it happens regularly enough in hurling, the only time we remember as many defenders beaten by a free with time up in a big football match was four years ago when, in the Mayo SFC final, Ballaghderreen supporters were already celebrating their first title since the early 1970s when Crossmolina were awarded a 30-yard free. They were three points down and the referee confirmed full time was only moments away.

The great Ciarán McDonald stepped up and sent a pile-driver towards goal which took a deflection off another Mayo star, Peadar Gardiner, and hit the net. A week later, Crossmolina won the replay.

Lilywhites left to rue costly decision

MARTIN SLUDDEN has returned to the middle of the pitch for the first time since the Leinster football final on July 11th – refereeing the weekend’s Tyrone senior football quarter-final between Coalisland and Errigal Ciarán.

And the same umpires that were on duty that day in Croke Park were back assisting Sludden, who was at the centre of the most controversial square-ball decision of the summer until, well, yesterday.

The small area around the posts at the front of the Davin Stand has given the championship 0 its two most controversial moments.

What’s frustrating is that there was no need for the controversial square-ball rule to be still in existence. Under ‘Technical Fouls’ in the GAA’s rulebook, Rule 4.7 states that it is a foul, “for an attacking player to enter opponents’ small rectangle before the ball enters it during play”.

Last Christmas, among the experimental rules proposed by the GAA was one relating to the ‘square ball’ issue. It was subsequently proposed as a motion to congress.

It would have altered Motion 4.7, making it a foul “for an attacking player to enter opponents’ small rectangle during play (excluding set play), before the final play of the ball into the small rectangle.”

So a player could enter the area as soon as the ball was kicked towards the square.

But the GAA delegates voted the motion down last April . . . . in Newcastle, Co Down.

Leading 2010 SFC Scorers

WITH one game still to play, the top scorer in the 2010 Senior Football Championship is known. Six points yesterday from the boot of John Doyle gives the Kildare forward the honour for this summer, with his closest challenger that is still in the championship, Cork’s Daniel Goulding, all of 20 points behind.

John Doyle (Kildare) 1-49 (52)

Bernard Brogan (Dublin) 3-42 (51)

Donal Shine (Roscommon) 1-31 (34)

Daniel Goulding (Cork) 1-30 (33)

Colm Cooper (Kerry) 1-27 (30)

Martin Clarke (Down) 1-27 (30)

Cian Ward (Meath) 2-23 (29)