SOS: Can you tog at the weekend?
Imagine if these three lads were still available for club duty this year
Ciaran McDonald
Crossmolina
WOULDN’T it be great if the blonde bombshell was seen strolling through the gates of McHale Park, Castlebar on Sunday with his gear bag slung over his shoulder, his old number 11 shirt hanging in its usual spot, and his customised, personalised boots ready for action.
Alas, McDonald hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for the Deel Rovers since last Autumn and would seem to have slipped quietly off the scene, once and for all.
Teenager Conor Loftus has taken over the centre-forward role for Crossmolina and is doing a fine job, turning in a man of the match performance against Davitts.
However, we’d be fairly sure that team management would accommodate Mac D if he came out of retirement, and it would also make life interesting for Pat Holmes and Castlebar Mitchels next weekend!
Trevor Mortimer
Shrule/Glencorrib
THE South Mayo club’s loss has been Kenya’s gain as the former Mayo footballer has moved lock, stock and barrel to East Africa in search of fame and fortune.
He still pops home every so often for a visit, but the 33 year-old would seem to have kicked his last ball in anger for Shrule/Glencorrib, unless the junior management of Peter Walsh, Johnny Gilmore, Tom Payne and Paddy Ward can tempt him out of retirement down the line.
‘Roundy’ Geraghty and Shane Hennelly are among those trying to do the heavy-lifting around the half-forward line in Mortimer’s absence, but he has left big shoes to fill.
A derby match with Claremorris would have brought out the best in a fierce competitor like the ex-Mayo captain, but he will be thousands of miles from the Dalgan Road on Sunday.
Trevor Howley
Knockmore
FANS of ‘The Hitman’ have been pining for the tearaway defender ever since he left for Australia at the end of 2011, and there is no doubt that he has been conspicuous by his absence for both club and county since his departure.
Knockmore manager Nigel Reape would just love to have the cherubic Howley in his defence against Westport next weekend, as the ‘Parish of the Backs’ outfit have badly missed his cut and thrust again this season.
Whether it was man-marking a dangerous forward, standing sentry at centre-half back, or even lining out as a third midfielder (as he did for Mayo against London back in 2011), Howley’s versatility was unrivalled.
The 27 year-old is currently living and working in Perth, and was part of the Southern Districts team that won the Western Australia Championship last year.
