He’s back.
This man is back. The man is back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8bxlm2St4I
The man who knows no limitations. The man who virtually redefined the centre half forward position back into the playmaking supremo.
The man who made football look so easy and so damn bloody beautiful. Ciarán McDonald is back.
At the sprightly age of 42, the Crossmolina native has come out of retirement and is playing for his club once more.
Two months ago, SportsJOE put together a team of the best 15 players this century that have never won an All-Ireland. The comment for McDonald was simple.
‘Anyone who needs this explaining to them is not a football person,’ that’s all that needed to be said.
It’s hard to do justice to how good Ciarán McDonald was and presumably still is. His passing was an absolute dream – he made anything possible, he literally forced boys into better positions. The top of his laces, we’ll never see the like of it again. His scores, mouthwatering. His attitude, his physicality, relentless.
Back in 2004, Ireland welcomed Australia to Croke Park for the International Rules Series and the southern hemisphere outfit were torn a new one in the first test.
Ciarán McDonald absolutely ripped them to pieces in that initial meeting. He destroyed them, winning marks, finding marks 60 yards further down the field, making tackles and leading the way. It was a defining performance in the history of those exchanges. Before the second test threw-in, the Aussies attacked the Mayo man.
Herds of them piled on top of the centre half forward and gave him a good beating. He was targetted, of course he was, and it was downright nasty. When order finally restored minutes and minutes later, McDonald got up, puffed out his chest and just marched back into position.
He proceeded to pick them apart once more. Ireland won the second test too.
Now the great man is back with his club, back with a size five between his hands, back to leave GAA fans and players drooling and spinning.
Guess who's back?
At 42 years young one Ciarán McDonald is out of retirement. He just came on as a sub for Crossmolina #mayogaa pic.twitter.com/xLkldPr2BO
— Mayo News – Sport (@mayonewssport) February 26, 2017
A call-up to Stephen Rochford’s ranks at this stage is probably too much of an ask. But, hey, they do need a forward. And a man with his skill is a timeless footballer.
A man with his appetite is still savage.
Ciarán McDonald is back playing football and all is right with the world again. Here’s a recap of his utterly brilliant interview on Second Captains Live from two years ago.
