Ryan McHugh.
Niall Sludden.
Eoin Murchan is filling out his CV nicely.
In the space of two battles, the Na Fianna club man has accumulated the heads of Ulster’s finest warriors and returned home with them on a stick. McHugh, the perennial tormentor of the capital and Sludden, the biggest threat in what would be the biggest fight of 2018.
Murchan was sprung by Jim Gavin, as wily as always, perfecting his team as ever, and he was unleashed to paralyse the enemies’ most feared weapons.
And he did it all above board. He did it all without fouling them. He did it by playing football.
Murchan had specific jobs to keep quiet the noisiest of opposition and, for 140 minutes, he stuck to those tasks religiously. All over Croke Park and Omagh he followed his assignments, matching them toe to toe, reading the game as well as the best of them and spoiling them in a way that was uniquely beautiful.
And, on Monday’s GAA Hour football show where Jim Gavin’s brilliance was dissected along with Dublin’s ability to beat teams whatever way they want to be beaten, it was Eoin Murchan who received the best reviews as host Colm Parkinson raved about the tight defender who neutrals can’t help but appreciate.
“Murchan went on Sludden and did brilliantly because Sludden was the real form man,” Wooly explained.
“In fairness, Murchan is one of the cleanest footballers I’ve ever seen. There’s no dirt in him. He’s doing nothing.
“He’s just putting his hand on the player’s chest to make sure he’s touch tight. He’s not doing the blocking the runs, he’s not doing any of that ol’ nonsense. He’s the cleanest, smallest player I’ve ever seen.
“He’s just so blindingly fast he can get back up there.”
Listen to the full episode below.
