The roasting he gave Shields & Cadogan in that Munster final in Pairc ui Chaoimh was one of the best individual displays I’ve ever seen.
He kicked them over from everywhere.
It was Declan OSullivan pulling the strings that day. I tipped away into it and the man gave an exhibition. He was absolutely everywhere and ping passes left and right inside
O Donoghue vs Keith Higgins in the 2014 AISF replay in Limerick was the highest quality 1 vs 1 battle I’ve seen. Two excellent players at their peak.
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Always thought it was a very odd move by fitzmairice to sacrifice him out at wing forward for final v Donegal in 2014…
I was delighted when he wasn’t in subs the first day in last years final ,fully fit or not he would have been a great option to bring on against dubs with 14 men…he was the epitomy of a dangerous forward, always lookimg to take his man on and go past him
He couldn’t go past his shadow for a finish.
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I remember he got a great goal against Clare maybe in 2019 and got injured again soon after ?
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Club mate of mine and the best I ever played with. You guys never seen the best of him. Scored 10 points at 21 years of age in 2010 connacht final. One of the prime examples of player burn out. Sprinted in mosney as a young lad but the time he was 23 he couldn’t run. Riddled with Injury. Wasnt able train all year for club but came on and scored 1 3 in 10 minute camo in county semi final this year. Played with him in club championship where he scored 3-12 out of 3 14 was phenomenal but ruined but injury and lost all mobility.
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Was some battle with Kerry in the minor final with Walsh and Shine duelling before ye won down in Ennis
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Commiserations on the retirement of Donie Shine.
On an aside note…How did those running the house draw leave €270k behind them? ‘‘Twas about a third of the profit.
You’d want a fiscal wizard like @Bandage to administer these things.
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Got scuppered by her majesty two weeks before the draw. Very poor due diligence
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What’s the deal there, why couldn’t UK purchasers of tickets win?
100% right. You’re on the ball but it was salvageable in advance.
€270k is a chunk of money to see vaporise…
Yeah something to do with the gambling authority in the UK. Club Rossie taught they had everything above board but something was reported. They sought out legal advice from the likes of Paddy Power and a few who said they are better off walking away. So had to refund all UK based buyers which was 270 thousand. Still excellent turn over of 906 thousand profit
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Less than that was 2 days in advance of the draw.nightmare scenario but pulled it off with result of profit
Got contacted by Uk gaming commission on 14 December
Might mean one less year for AC and extensive backroom team
He’d be well down the pecking order in terms of great Kerry forwards in the roll of honour. In my 60 odd years looking at them I’d go with my top 5:
Maurice Fitzgerald.
Mike Sheehy.
Pat Spillane.
Mick O’Dwyer.
John Egan.
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the move in 2014 worked
re the 2019 final , damn right you were glad he wasnt there the drawn final! a club man of Donoghue’s whom I know well said to me the friday before the final in almost nostradamus like fashion
" james is not in the 26, there could well be a peno in this match and he is the best peno taker in and around the squad, we have no one else to hit one, he should be there for that alone"
I am not sure we could have given him a place for penos alone! he came on very late on in the replay when the match was gone
I’d put O’Donoghue above Fitzgerald at their peaks. Fitzgerald was a wonderful, very elegant plsyer but part of his main repertoire was his free taker. O’Donoghue was just such an exciting forward full of tricks and dummies, so quick and direct. A joy to watch for those 2/3 years he was at his peak.
How would you rank cooper and o donghue ?