Willie Donnellan’s highs and lows of Leitrim’s sporting year

We're back to that time of the year where we look back and look forward at the same time and in the Observer sports department, we're no different! Or maybe we know what works as we return with our popular sports review of 2022 over the next few weeks.

Like last year, we've asked some of the county's brightest sports stars to look back over the last 12 months along with some of those journalists on the sports beat around the county.

Our esteemed photographer Willie Donnellan takes the plunge in this article and once more, I'll guarantee you that you'll enjoy Willie's unique talk on the sporting year. And in this week's paper, you can find out what some of the county's best sports people think of the year gone by. 

How to vote for your Leitrim Observer Club Teams of the Year

So enjoy looking back and here's to a spectacular 2023. 

WILLIE DONNELLAN - LEITRIM OBSERVER 

With the controversy over the staging of the World Cup in Qatar, what’s your view on the role of sport and politics/social issues – should they mix? Should they be kept separate?

Definitely not. First of all it should never have been given to Qatar, it was the wrong venue and a big mistake but of course, it was money talking. Politics came into it but I don’t agree with politics coming onto the field of play. I didn’t agree with the black coat being put on Messi at the presentation of the World Cup, he should have been in his own Argentinean shirt - it took away from it.

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Messi has to be the head man, definitely. It was a great World Cup and some great games in it but I was delighted to see Messi  lifting the World Cup. Throughout his own career, it was the only thing he never won and he can retire happy if he wants to.

What do you say about Keith Beirne and Michelle Guckian? They were just out of this world for scoring - the day in Carlow, I’ll never forget  the points Keith scored. What stuck in my mind that day was I was out on the sideline and there was a crowd of Carlow supporters standing behind me and Keith e got an outrageous point from the sideline and the Carlow crowd started clapping him - I’ll never forget that.

As for Michelle, she’d get her place on any men’s team - she is unreal. I am at pains to know how she keeps going, she is unbelievable and a great sportswoman, no more than Keith is a great sportsman as well.

Muireann Devaney is another great sportswoman but I don’t know how she keeps going, playing for Athlone Town and Glencar Manorhamilton - how is she not burned out with the schedule she has, she really is an amazing footballer.

Willie Donnellan considers St Mary's Kiltoghert his team of the year for 2022

TEAM OF THE YEAR

If it is the World Cup, it has to be Argentina. In Gaelic games, you have to give it to Kerry - it’ll be up to the Dubs to take them out next year with all the men that are coming back. My old friend Ciaran Kilkenny is working very hard to get back up to the top and if there is one thing he wants, it is Player of the year -  I have that from the horse’s mouth!

Can’t forget about St Mary’s Kiltoghert - the whole St Mary’s club has the most powerful year, I mean, they swept the boards. I don’t know how they’re going to present all those medals at their dinner dance in February, it is going to be good craic! St Mary’s, they had a great year - no dirt on the field, they played good football and it was a good Senior Championship this year.

You have to mention the Leitrim hurlers winning the Connacht Hurling Shield, Olcan Conway’s team were a bit unlucky not to go further in the Lory Meagher Cup.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR

The two penalty shootouts were excellent in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada between Leitrim and Sligo in the Tailteann Cup and the Senior Semi-Final between St  Mary's and Fenagh St Caillins. I’m in two minds about penalties but what really hit me that day, and I was at the back of the goals, was the young kids running for the town goals in Pairc Sean and banging on the advertising signs - I thought the atmosphere was electric.

The win over Tipperary in February was a powerful game, a great atmosphere and all the yellow 50 Miles in January hats up in the stand, looking up at them from the pitch, was excellent. You have to give the Ladies great credit too, that Connacht Intermediate Final win in Tuam was fantastic.

The Leitrim and Sligo Tailteann Cup Penalty shootout was one of Willie's highlights of the year

LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR

Getting hammered by Galway in Salthill, after starting so well. And I’ll tell you, I was at the match in Ruislip and a lot of Leitrim people were on the edge of their seats that day until Ryan O’Rourke got that late goal. It was shocking - I mean everybody around us, all the Leitrim people were in shock!

Losing to London in the League in Bekan - the game should never have been played there for a start. I think the County Board were wrong to have allowed the game to leave their home venue. The game should have been postponed, they knew the weather was bad from Friday on, the game should have been called off no matter what they say about London travelling. If it was called off on the Friday, London didn’t travel until Saturday morning. It was a disgrace that day - you couldn’t play football in weather like that, everybody, fans and players was skint by the cold.

WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING LEITRIM SPORT IN 2023

The biggest challenge is emigration and all of our young people who are gone. You take Ballinaglera, there are eight gone from the club. Ballinamore has people gone, every club in the county, Mohill, my own club Leitrim Gaels, this is going to have a big, big effect down the line next year - it will be very interesting to see how many Andy Moran has lost from his panel of last year and the same for the hurlers. If the young lads and ladies are gone, they’re not coming back that soon, especially if they get a good job - and you can’t blame them. What’s here for them? They’re being robbed with taxes and everything.

McGarty features in "On the Shoulders of Giants" recallling a golden era of gaelic games

The late Leitrim legend Packie McGarty features in a new book “On the Shoulders of Giants” by Henry Wymbs which chronicles the stories of some of Gaelic games' greatest heroes from the 1940s to 1970s

ONE THING I'D DO TO MAKE SPORT BETTER IN 2023

Referees are getting too much abuse and the GAA should be more like rugby and soccer when it comes to the abuse of referees. We’re at an outrageous amount of matches during the year, from underage up, and every game referees are getting abuse from the sideline, from the supporters and it is not right, they are only doing a job. Some of them mightn’t be great, some of them are excellent referees but they are getting too much abuse from the sidelines. We went to a couple of Sligo Leitrim Soccer League games in Dromahair and you can’t open your mouth, the captain is the only man allowed to speak, the same in rugby and it is very easy for the GAA to bring it in.

EVENT THAT MADE ME GO WOW!

Katie Taylor has to be up there, Sean O’Shea’s kick to beat the Dubs, that was a real pressure kick and Cavan’s Leona Maguire had an excellent year. But I thought the World Cup Final, the last 50 minutes, extra-time and penalties was edge of the seat stuff - it was unbelievable. The pressure that was on some of those players was outrageous, shocking but the two penalties Mbappe and Messi took in the shootout, they were just unreal - Messi rolled it in, the other buck just belted it.

Ryan O'Rourke is Willie Donnellan's one to watch for 2023 - here Ryan is in action against Sligo in the Tailteann Cup in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada

ONE TO WATCH IN 2023

There’s a man I have great time for is Ryan O’Rourke - if he is free from injury, he could play a big part in Leitrim hopefully getting to a Connacht Final because it is our best chance in years. If we can get over New York and the winners of Sligo and London, which won’t be easy because New York always feel they can beat Leitrim and we had many a scary moment in Gaelic Park. If you can keep Ryan and Keith Beirne fit and with your county, I think we have a good chance of getting to a Connacht Final. Hopefully my own club Leitrim Gaels will win the Senior championship next year and my old friends in Aughawillan will have a better year than they had this year.

Check out next week's Observer for more in the sporting review of the year from Aine Tighe, Shane Mallon, Darren Mulvey, PJ Leddy & John Connolly