Nerves of steel.
2011 was the year, Croke Park was the stage, Kevin Cassidy was the man.
The man who hails from the Gaeltacht area of Gaoith Dobhair in North County Donegal will always be remembered for stepping up to the plate when his county needed him most in an All-Ireland quarter final against Kildare.
The sides were level after 70 minutes, they were still level after 89 minutes. That’s when the ball made its way to the Donegal half back, who, 52 metres out from goal, decided he would take the fate of a whole county into his own left boot.
Cassidy displayed confidence, he displayed balls, he scored one of the finest points Croke Park has ever seen, when the stakes were at their highest.
Donegal had taken 34 shots at goal in the whole game, they had only scored 12 of them. Tension was running high, nobody wanted to make a mistake.
Cassidy had taken on a similar attempt earlier on in the game, and unluckily for him, the ball sliced off his boot and went wide.
He was warned not to do it again.
“I remember McGuinness roaring in my ear never to do that again. It was really that type of game, where one pot-shot that mightn’t come off could cost you the game.
The opportunity arose, he backed himself and he slotted it to send the population of Donegal dancing their way towards a semi-final.
“I had done that shot hundreds of times leading up to the game, and I think that eases the pressure, because you know you’ve been there before.”
The reason he had this confidence was the long, hard hours he had put in on the training ground. That’s what it takes.
“In those pressure moments, it’s the hard work in the background that helps you, and it stands to you.”
