Monday, June 18, 2012

Who needs Ó Muircheartaigh anyway?

The news that David Nalbandian had been defaulted from the Queen's club final mustn't have been relayed to Martin Kiely on Sunday afternoon. If it had he would have surely mentioned it. Very little wasn't mentioned during his radio commentary of what was a pulsating Munster hurling semi-final at Semple Stadium. From German chancellor Angela Merkel to chickens scrapping for bits of bread to diving at the European Championships, Kiely covered it. Maybe co-commentator and well-known tennis lover Ken Hogan (that's pure fiction there) kept the information to himself? Perhaps the former Tipperary netminder Sky Plus-ed it, or is it Sky+ed? Not important. 


When the legend that was Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh decided to call it a day after surpassing eight decades on the earth, the question of how he would be replaced on the nation's airwaves, and who could fill his shoes was bandied about for a while. Personally, like when Gay Byrne ended his association with The Late Late Show, I thought nobody would do it like Uncle Gaybo did, and so it came to pass despite RTE's insistence to afford Pat Kenny and more recently Ryan Tubridy the luxury of running the longest running chat show into the ground.

I'm not saying Kiely could present The Late Late Show, far from it, but in my opinion he is the natural successor to Ó Muircheartaigh. And he proved it yesterday. While stuck in work, and I mean that in every way possible, heart heavy, a little teary because I hadn't the money to travel home to Thurles and up over the Railway Bridge to the game (father in tow), I tuned into Sunday Sport's coverage on the wireless of the goings on at Tom Semple's field.

The man in the middle... well, not really!
From the off the game crackled, like any good Munster clash should. Former Clare 'keeper, now Banner boss and previous Déise chief Davy Fitzgerald prowled the sidelines, armed with a mouth you wouldn't kiss your mother with. His side flew out of the traps but they were soon reeled in and trailed by a couple of scores at the interval. Kiely relayed all the action and I felt like I was there, shifting around on bucket-like seats not made for comfort in the new Old Stand. Kiely's genuine belief that a Sunday is not a Sunday without the GAA is a belief I hold myself. I should have been there, like I should be down Leeside next weekend but money is tight, tight, tight, a fact reflected by the poor attendance at yesterday's game.

Waterford selector Ken McGrath last week described the €30 stand ticket price as "crazy" and it's hard to disagree. That being said, if I had the aforementioned amount of money and ever meet Kiely I will firmly put it in his hand and thank him for transporting me to some other place. That's what Ó Muircheartaigh did for years and years and years. The man who regaled us with tales of corner-backs whose people were undertakers, of the time a Rabbite chased a Fox around Croke Park and of Colin Corkery's Lazarus-like recovery would have enjoyed Kiely's commentary yesterday but, ironically, the well-loved octogenarian was in attendance at GAA headquarters for the final mass of the International Eucharistic Congress.

With the second-half in its infancy it looked as if Waterford's experience and steadiness would see them home. However, the suspicion that Clare's younger legs might last longer began to harden, as five unanswered points flipped the lead - the last one shot from 'keeper Stephen Kelly around his own 65. At this stage Kiely's excitement had infected Hogan, a man not known for getting too excited about anything, and the two of them gushed over the proceedings taking place in front of them. I couldn't see the commentary pair but I doubt they were sitting down, in fact I doubt if Kiely in particular was even fully in the commentary box, a la O Muircheartaigh.

Last line of defence...
Two fouls, one harshly judged, on replacement Paul O'Brien allowed big Dan's brother Maurice to restore the lead almost immediately and it became clear that a photo finish was on the cards and after Nicky O'Connell missed a few chances for Clare it took a brilliant save from Déise custodian Stephen O'Keefe to deny Conor McGrath, and in turn Clare.

With the game only finished seconds Kiely took a breath, a short one before seeking out Pauric Lodge on the sideline. I took a breath, then decided that I would seek out Kiely's commentary from now on.

1 comment:

Radge said...

Tremendous piece.

Twitter was universal in its praise for Martin Kiely yesterday too, it's good to see the national broadcaster get something right for once.