Murray didn’t see Melvin Gaels’ Houdini act coming
Smith Monumentals IFC Final Reaction: Melvin Gaels manager criticises officiating after his team snatch three late goals to stun Allen Gaels 3-8 to 2-10 in Ballinamore
Melvin Gaels manager Aidan Murray admitted that he didn't see his team’s Houdini escape act coming as the Kinlough men landed three goals in the final six minutes of action to claim the 2024 Smith Monumentals IFC title in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin on Sunday.
Melvin Gaels landed three goals starting from the last seconds of normal time to stun Allen Gaels 3-8 to 2-10, claiming the Frank Reynolds Cup for the first time since 2015, moving top of the Intermediate Championship roll of honour into the bargain. But it was a victory that didn’t look very likely, admitted Aidan.
“I did to be honest,” admitted the Melvin Gaels boss when asked if he thought the game was gone from them as Allen Gaels led by eight points going into the last minute, adding “Just the way the boys conducted themselves in the last five minutes. It came out of nowhere and the heart, the show, the determination.
“The boys that came in, Kevin in goals running up the sideline, turning over a ball inside their 45. You know, we never lay down and it just showed there in the last five minutes what we're all about and I couldn't be more delighted for the lads out there. They put their heart and soul into everything and we were up against a lot there.”
Murray criticised the officiating in the game, saying Melvin Gaels weren’t happy with calls going against them: “A couple of bad calls went against us throughout the game and we weren't happy with it and it's probably clear on the line that we weren't. We tried to conduct ourselves as best we can but, you know, we were up against it all year.”
The Melvin Gaels manager was handed a red card after the final whistle by referee Eamonn Dolan and when asked about emotions running over after the final whistle with Leitrim GAA Chairman Enda Stenson mentioning the scenes in his speech, Murray doubled down on his criticism of the officiating: “Like you've seen yourself, you've seen the game, how the calls were going.
“We were getting booked coming out the field for nothing, we got a black card early on in the first half and he didn't even signal what it was for. And then we go near the end and they're blocking our runs coming out of defence and it was clear black and yellow cards and not even ticks. We were just about getting our frees.
“You know, it's not on. We train three, four nights a week in the depths of winter and we put our heart and soul in it. And for men to come out once a week and say they're doing their best. We hold ourselves accountable as players and managers trying to get the best out of each other every week. Something has to be done on the officiating side too, that’s what I think.”
Murray highlighted the strength in depth and resolve in the Melvin Gaels camp as he highlighted the impact of Shane McGloin’s goal that seemed nothing more than a late consolation at the time: “Yeah, it kind of ignited something all right. But like that there, through the Championship we've always held it tight within 15 minutes.
“I know we were 10 points down there but the lads that we've come off the bench can really add things. Like we always said, we finish stronger than we start and it really showed today what we're about. We're a 1-30 man outfit, not a 1-15 - we're a force to be reckoned with there with the players coming off the bench.”
Melvin Gaels are now planning for a Connacht Intermediate Club campaign against either Coolaney Mullinabreena v Easkey on the weekend of November 9-10, and Aidan is hopeful his team can make a good run at the provincial competition: “I just hope now when we go to Connacht we can get a good run at it.
“We'll celebrate it for a day or two. We'll go back to the drawing board. I think it's the Sligo champions we face. They don't want to come up against us because we're a tough team to beat. We will not lay down. I want to give Connacht a good rattle.”