Micko's Book..

[DD]

Micko is surprisingly still bitter about things


. . . SEAMUS DARBY'S GOAL
Sunday November 04 2007
When we were awarded a penalty coming up to the three-quarter stage it looked as if we were on our way. A goal would have put us four points clear but Sheehy's kick was saved by Furlong. Mikey would be the first to admit it wasn't his best penalty and Martin would probably be the first to admit that he was well off his line when the kick was taken. Referee PJ McGrath took no action and the chance was lost.
Our best spell came afterwards when we went four points clear with six minutes remaining.
It was at that stage that I believe the role of the referee became very important. I wouldn't suggest for one second that he didn't call the game as he saw it, but I have always believed referees are unconsciously susceptible to what I would term the 'underdog influence'. It becomes easier for the 'underdogs' to win frees when they've fallen behind, not because the referee is biased but because he's human. It was something the Kerry team of that era encountered all the time but it usually didn't matter because we generally had plenty in hand. However, we didn't in the 1982 final so it turned out to be crucial.
As we defended the four-point lead, Seán Lowry won a free which Matt Connor pointed and, to this day, I have no idea why it was awarded. Even Eugene McGee accepted that it was a harsh call. Connor pointed a second free shortly afterwards and suddenly the whole scene changed as Offaly were within striking distance.
There's no doubt but we became nervous from there on. Instead of holding our shape and taking the game on, we funnelled back to protect the lead. That invited Offaly on to us, eventually providing Darby with the goal chance. Did he push Tommy Doyle under the dropping ball? Ask yourself this: Why would Doyle totally misjudge the flight of a ball so badly that he didn't even make any sort of contact? Would he really have got it so wrong that the ball would drop gently into Darby's arms? That's not the Doyle I knew. Should it have been a free out? Of course it should have and nine times out of ten it would have been, but this was one-in-ten day.
However he managed to win the ball, Darby deserves enormous credit for his rasping finish past Nelligan. Even then, all wasn't lost as we had a chance to grab the equaliser but, typical of how disjointed we had become in the final minutes, we didn't take it. The five-in-a-row dream was over.

[the bare biffo]

I suppose if I was in Micko's shoes I wouldn't feel much different. We have all experienced the should have been's, wrong decisions, bad luck whatever.
But none of us have been on the doorstep of immortality in the way that Kerry and especially Micko were on that day.
He's entitled to his feelings, what do we care, we have Seamus Darby.

[Bord na Mona man]

I read some other excerpts from his book in the (online edition of) Sindo.
He comes across as fairly bitter all right.

I'm not surprised he had trouble at Laois though, as they wouldn't be the easiest bunch of lads to deal with.

[Sydthebeat]

It really read like sour grapes about the Darby incident..... jeez build a bridge micko....

he complained about nearly every referring decision at the end of the game..... even about martin furlong being 'off his line' for the penalty... maybe he forgets that every goalkeeper did the same back then. Kerry wern't good enough to win the game.. full stop...

[Lone Shark]

He says it as if the idea that Tommy Doyle could have been maneouvred out of position by Seamus Darby legally is a bizarre notion not to be entertained - perish the thought that Doyle might have misjudged the flight because he was back tracking into Seamus and Darby just held his ground. Just because his teams tend to play Gaelic Football like basketball doesn't mean that football should suddenly become non-contact as well.

The funny thing was that I always pretty much accepted that it was a foul, but the more I see it the more I think it was legitimate use of the body to get position. The fact that the ref says he's happy with it a quarter of a century later is more than good enough for me.

[Archangel]

I read the extract on 'Hoganstand' regarding his Laois experience.
It just proved to me what an arrogant bunch of hopeless wannabees that Laois shower are.

As regards the Offaly final, I think he's just saying what any Kerryman would be thinking. No-one is going to have an unbiased opinion of that game, especialy the Darby incident.

[Bord na Mona man]

I've never been convinced by Laois as a big time outfit.
From my encounters with some of their current crop players I don't believe they have nowhere near the focus to go and challenge the best teams.
There is too much of the "jack the lad" cut about them, in their off field behaviour.

The single minded drive for success is not there. It doesn't surprise me that several of them are having their heads turned when it comes to offers of playing Aussie Rules.

While I don't really like Micko, he deserves at least some sort of respect from a group of players who had never achieved much before he came along.

[Kevin]

He says it as if the idea that Tommy Doyle could have been maneouvred out of position by Seamus Darby legally is a bizarre notion not to be entertained - perish the thought that Doyle might have misjudged the flight because he was back tracking into Seamus and Darby just held his ground. Just because his teams tend to play Gaelic Football like basketball doesn't mean that football should suddenly become non-contact as well.

The funny thing was that I always pretty much accepted that it was a foul, but the more I see it the more I think it was legitimate use of the body to get position. The fact that the ref says he's happy with it a quarter of a century later is more than good enough for me.

I've watched the blurry tape countless times. I contend that Tommy was out of position to field the ball and that Seamus was actually put into perfect position to receive it by Tommy jumping up and somewhat back for a ball that was hopelessly beyond his reach.

[Bord na Mona man]

Well folks, Micko has finally departed the scene. He has some legacy, there's no doubt.
RIP Micko!

There are times when fate makes a decision and isn’t for turning. I think of it at least once a week. It’s still implanted in my mind.

A little nudge made history. If you were well beaten, you’d be happy enough. We were so close, I felt sick.

For two months after, I never left Waterville. I stayed in the house, put the tape [of the game] on, had a look at it and just saying to myself, ‘Pity we didn’t do this, pity we didn’t do that.’

It’s like a death in the family, if that’s possible. We were so near and so close it was unreal. – On the 1982 All-Ireland Final defeat by Offaly, which ended Kerry’s five-in-a-row dream