Sunday didn’t seem like the day Rory Beggan would have to get used to this.
He’s the best goalkeeper in the country now and he’s there to be shot at. Anything he does that even resembles an error will result in the Dublin diehards and those who just love to stir the pot circling and hounding him
But he came through Sunday scot free.
Two days after he won his first All-Star and Rory Beggan was flawless in the Ulster club quarter final for his club Scotstown. From the goals, the Farney man played the field.
He kept a clean sheet, kicked a point from play and notched a few frees for good measure too.
Is there anything Rory Beggan can't do?
🙌Safe hands
⭐️GAA All-Star
🏐Point from playThe @monaghangaa keeper pops over a point from play in @ScotstownGAA's Ulster SFC last-eight win over Burren
📱 Highlights available later this evening
👉 https://t.co/7kgKJ1me76 #bbcgaa pic.twitter.com/pCpN78dVWX
— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) November 4, 2018
Even more tellingly than the point from play, Beggan carried out his goalkeeping duties to military precision. The point from play is a rarity that creates headlines. With Beggan, the constant is the kicks that leave his boot like a missile in a hurry but still always land wherever on the earth he wants them to.
Burren were burned by this nerveless and faultless distribution and Scotstown were saved by it.
“Rory Beggan taking goalkeeping to an entirely different level in Pairc Esler. Playing like a man who won an All Star at the weekend,” said Down legend Mark Poland.
Rory Beggan taking goalkeeping to an entirely different level in Pairc Esler. Playing like a man who won an All Star at the weekend.
— Mark Poland (@polie11) November 4, 2018
And he still got some criticism for it.
It’s a little reminder for Rory Beggan of who he is now and where he stands now that there were still a few people with the brass neck to criticise him.
One man who’s proud of his brass neck is Joe Brolly and with the Derry man present in Páirc Esler for the game, he couldn’t help himself.
With praise raining in on Beggan from all angles, lauding his scoring return and eulogizing about his rocket kickouts, Joe Brolly tried at least, to bring him down to earth.
“He did a quick one two and popped it over. Spends a lot of time standing out around the middle. If he tried that against Crossmaglen Rangers they’d score about ten goals,” he tweeted.
We’re all well aware that the king of exaggerating is probably only exaggerating for extra effect here. Joe Brolly knows well that a class act like Rory Beggan will sit back when he has to and when he should.
But it’s still funny that no matter what, there’s always one.
