YOU could tell Ryan O’Toole was still trying to process what the hell had just happened as he found himself stood against a wall in the Healy Park tunnel, a row of microphones thrust in his face.
The back had been well and truly patted off the Scotstown man as he tried to make his way from the field, throngs of young Farney followers determined to grab a piece of Monaghan’s match-winner in an enthralling clash that finally lit a fire under this year’s Ulster Championship.
O’Toole, having marked Darren McCurry and then Darragh Canavan as a defensive reshuffle opened the door to a Monaghan comeback, could have been content having done his share as the seconds ticked down.
But, after McCurry edged the Red Hands ahead deep into added time, he ghosted forward one more time - nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Finding himself in inexplicable amounts of space, panic could easily have kicked in for the Championship debutant when Kieran Duffy landed the ball in his hands.
Everybody in the ground expected him to fist over and take the game to extra-time. Vinny Corey and all the experienced heads among the Monaghan ranks must have been willing him to do just that.
The 23-year-old, though, rolled the dice and hit the jackpot, lashing low beneath Niall Morgan, the Farney roar reverberating around Healy Park while the net still rippled as Monaghan moved into an Ulster semi-final showdown with reigning provincial champions Derry.
“You never know what you are thinking in those situations. You just kinda live in the moment a wee bit.
“I just said ‘here, I’m going to go for this here’, and thankfully it went in and that’s all I can say about it.
“Great runs coming in drew the defenders in and I just happened to come wide and cut in and just left the bit of space in behind. The ball came in over the top and I was in one on one with Niall.”
The easy option, the fisted score, the man who saved Monaghan’s skin – that didn’t cross his mind at all?
“Maybe when the ball was coming into my hands...”
After that, no looking back. A dream end to a dream day, and a first taste of Ulster Championship action against some of the very best forwards around.
“I played a couple of Ulster club championship games but nothing compares to that.
“You’re coming into the lion’s den here in Omagh, a couple of wee lads behind the goals giving you guff the whole game, but here, that’s what it’s all about. That’s the Ulster Championship and that’s what you live for.
“It’s absolutely incredible to go toe-to-toe with them boys out there. It’s amazing. It was never going to be easy, marking the likes of Darren McCurry, Darragh Canavan, Allstar forwards.
“You go and you give it your best shot and we came out on the right side of it.”
