BY FULL-TIME at Croke Park yesterday, Joe Brolly had his arm wrapped round Pat Spillane, a broad grin affixed to his face as he listened to the Kerry man laud the impact of his nephew Killian on the game.
All was harmonious as even Ciarán Whelan was adamant that had Dean Rock converted that last-gasp free, Dublin would have stolen it. A draw was a fair result agreed the experts. What a game was the unanimous verdict.
But 35 minutes earlier, it was a different story in RTÉ’s on-location studio.
“David Clifford inside, one-on-one with Johnny Cooper. This, I didn’t see a penalty there,” said the Kerry legend of the spot-kick that was saved by Stephen Cluxton.
“It was never a penalty,” shouted Brolly, daring someone to disagree with him.
“I think, to be quite honest, I didn’t see a penalty in this. I think it’s the softest penalty you’ll get,” continued Spillane.
“Softest penalty you’ll get,” shouted Whelan, convinced Spillane was about to change tack and insist it was a clear-as-day spot-kick.
“Very, very lucky, I think, minimal contact,” Spillane reassured him.
But come the analysis of Cooper’s sending-off, the lads had got their rise: “It’s never in a million years a yellow card,” affirmed Brolly of the challenge on Clifford which earned Cooper his early bath.
“It’s two lads coming together going for the ball, simple as that,” agreed Whelan.
“I think everyone knows that I’ll call it exactly as I see it and I’m not wearing a Kerry cap or a Kerry flag,” began Spillane not so convincingly, “What Clifford did for that second booking, Clifford used his body to shield the ball and what happened was, Johnny Cooper grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down, it’s a yellow card, two yellow cards equal red.”
“No, no, no!!” was chorus from the gruesome twosome.
“They’re the facts,” retorted Spillane.
“No chance,” Brolly decided to twist the knife, “The referee has clearly been influenced by the propaganda emanating from the Kerry camp.”
Then, come the final whistle, “What a game,” said everyone.
“After some of the suffering we’ve had to do in this studio watching Gaelic football at times over the last four or five years, what a game,” repeated Brolly.
“Pat hasn’t spoken for 25 minutes,” said Whelan, which was probably the only way to avoid an argument with Joe Brolly.
“We’ve often been accused of being negative and cynical about the game, but oh, today Joanne, what a game,” said Spillane to his host.
“What a game,” said Brolly.
“What a game,” said Spillane, “what an advertisement for Gaelic football.”
And so the scene was set for the most heart-warming spectacle of the decade.
“Killian is a very, very skilful player, an absolutely brilliant player,” enthused Pat of his own flesh and blood, his eyes welling up, “this was class because he had very little of an angle, left foot – he can quick with right and left – low, unstoppable, he was just absolutely magnificent.”
Brolly couldn’t resist getting all touchy feely and Pat was taken in the Derry man’s embrace: “How delightful that you’re able to talk about your nephew like that. He was magnificent,” he shouted into his ear.
“It was nice,” agreed Spillane.
How long will this détente last? Probably till about 5 o’clock next Saturday evening.
