“But Jack….Jack, Jack, Jack. Pick your moments.”
Dublin legend Philly McMahon was a master of the psychological game, and even in retirement, doesn’t seem to be able to help himself by feeling the need to have the last say on a few old arguments.
Leading up to today’s relegation battle between Dublin and Monaghan, McMahon took pen to paper in his weekly column at the Irish Independent and regaled a story about himself and Jack McCarron in 2017.
The eight-time All-Ireland winner explains how the Dubs were on their incredible winning streak and had just lifted five Sam Maguires in a row.
“Jack is on the ball today. Just in case I’m in any doubt as to who got the goal (I’m not), he identifies himself as the scorer by performing some kind of constipated war dance approximately two inches from my face, whilst screaming as if he’s trying to contact the dead.
“Now I’m not unaccustomed with the dark art of sledging. Some might point to my own portfolio.
“But Jack….Jack, Jack, Jack. Pick your moments.
“My recollection of much of what happened before that is non-existent. But precisely at that moment, I remember having a realisation: ‘this fella thinks this game is over.’
“There’s 25 minutes left. I’m bemused now. Fascinated almost. Who does this fella think we are?”
The defender then goes on to explain how Dublin came back and won the game, much to the embarrassment of the Monaghan forward.
However, today, on a day that the Dubs will no doubt want to forget, that very same man stood up and sank the boys in blue, relegating them to Division Two – an unthinkable outcome just months ago.
In a game that had everything, the wily number 11 was twisting and turning the Dublin defence inside out, screaming in their faces, and just demanding to be on every ball.
Then, in a moment too sublime to describe, so much so that this writer almost has to pause and do the chef’s kiss every time he sees it, McCarron lobbed Michael Shiel to score their third goal of the game.
Jack McCarron, that is downright nasty 🌶️pic.twitter.com/zLqwf8Q7bg
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) March 27, 2022
With a six-point lead going into the last six minutes, I’m not ashamed to admit that I had already started writing this article, something I cursed myself for doing when Dean Rock converted a penalty in injury time to bring everything level.
Then at the very death, the Ulster side are awarded a free kick from way out, and who steps up to take it? Only Philly McMahon’s best mate.
The promise of summer was crisp in the air as the heat was turned up in the stadium, but McCarron was the coolest man on the pitch and he easily split the posts, while splitting Dublin hearts in the process.
It's only the League! It's only the League
Try telling Banty it's only the feckin League!pic.twitter.com/3ayOghPgqC
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) March 27, 2022
A petition has now been doing the rounds (and rightly so) calling for Jack McCarron to be split into two, due to the unfair advantage of having such larger talent than everyone else.
McMahon had suggested that his old foe should pick his moments… he must have read the article after all, because picked them he did.
