CSI Delaney is on the spot for Sligo
Sunday November 29 2009
Funny how things turn out. Who should I spot in Tallaght at the FAI Cup final last Sunday but John Delaney, esteemed Capo Di Tuto Cappi of Irish soccer. It had been a busy week for John. He must have been knackered after all those hours trying to persuade FIFA that a refereeing mistake perpetrated against Ireland in our World Cup qualifying match entitled us to a replay. And proper order too. Fair play demands nothing less.
Despite the conditions, the Cup final was a good game of football. With seven minutes left, Sligo Rovers were winning 1-0 and looked to be cruising. Then a mix-up between Rovers 'keeper Ciaran Kelly and Alan Keane ended up with Fingal's Eamon Zayed clattering into Kelly and falling to the ground with the ball several yards away.
My first impression was that this wasn't the first cousin of a penalty and most people, including the panellists on RTE's Monday Night Soccer, seem to agree with me. But Cork ref Alan Kelly awarded the penalty. Buoyed up by this stroke of luck, Fingal got the winner in injury time. This night last week I was a disappointed man. In fact, I never wanted to see another game of football as long as I lived. I was only slightly cheered up by the fact that Kelly probably wouldn't be able to wash himself for a week after he got home to Cork.
But we get over these things. Sport teaches us that we have to. So the Sligo Rovers fans did not spend the week looking for a replay because of Awful Alan's dire decision, we did not demand that Eamon Zayed be prevented from ever becoming the public face of Bic safety razors, we did not even mount a protest march on the offices of Fingal County Council. Because, as football people, we know it's over when it's over.
This isn't meant to be sour grapes. Well, not all that sour. Mildly tangy perhaps. Fair play to Fingal, they took their chances, they play a lovely brand of skilful football and their team contained several players I have the height of respect for, the likes of Shaun Maher, Gary O'Neill, Conan Byrne and, yes, Zayed.
But then I remembered John Delaney wasn't trying it on with FIFA in the hope of blackguarding them into granting Ireland a replay. He was outraged at the possibility of a game of football being decided by a refereeing error and wanted to set a precedent whereby all such games will be replayed in the future. Good old John.
I'm really looking forward to the Cup final replay. Hope the rain keeps off.
Sunday Independent
