Specky Magee and the Best of Oz

by Felice Arena

  Paul O’Meara brings the ball back into play … AND HAVE A LOOK AT THIS KICK!

  The Irish goalkeeper sunk his boot into the ball and Specky watched in awe. Unlike the Aussies’ first two shocking attempts at kicking, Paul O’Meara launched the ball into orbit. It spun beautifully and did not deviate off its course as it sailed well over the zone defence the Aussies had put in place. It landed a clear ten metres past the centre of the ground.

  Specky got up on his toes. He glanced to either side of the net to make sure he was centred and in the best position to stop the ball. The Irish captain, Sean Kavanagh, swiftly anticipated the length of the kick and met the ball before Dicky could read what was going on. Kavanagh quickly passed the ball to his team-mate Seamus Moore, who was flying past.

  Specky couldn’t remember seeing a player move as speedily as Moore. His legs were just a blur as he left the Aussies in his wake. He bounced the ball once and zeroed in on Specky. From the determined look on his face, anyone could tell Moore was rocketing in and would try to score a six-pointer. Specky gulped and swayed from foot to foot.

  Suddenly, out of nowhere, Spiro left his opponent and charged at Moore, surprising the Irish speedster and suddenly putting him in two minds.

  Specky adjusted his position slightly, certain now that Moore would attempt to kick the ball over his head and settle for the three points.

  At the last moment, however, Moore screwed the ball around his body.

  Specky thought he had it covered, but with the extra spin that his Irish opponent had put on the ball, it curled violently across the goal-front.

  Specky back-pedalled to the goal line and looked on in horror as Eamon O’Sullivan darted in from the far side of the ground, catching the ball on his chest.

  Without breaking stride, Eamon dropped the ball onto his boot and, from just five metres out, thundered it towards the back corner of the net.

  Specky catapulted to his left, his body completely horizontal to the ground. He stretched out his fingers and just tapped the ball as it whizzed by. Specky crashed into the turf. The crowd went berserk.

  I’m a terrible goalie, thought Specky, miserable as he quickly got back up on his feet. I’ve given up six points already.

  ‘That’s it, Speck!’ screamed Dicky, running past him and giving him a high-five. ‘They’re not getting anything past you, mate!’

  ‘What the … ?’ said Specky, turning around to see the goal umpire signal a behind.

  He hadn’t let one through after all.

  The commentators were jumping out of their seats.

  Oh my Lord, what a save from the Australian goalie!’

  I’ve been watching Eamon O’Sullivan play this game since the day he could walk and I can’t remember a goalkeeper ever denying him a six-pointer from inside the ten-metre box! Oh, Brian, me lad, you’ve got a good ’un there, in young Magee. That would have made any goalkeeper around the world proud, that would have.

  As Specky gathered the ball, he was surprised to see that many of the Irish fans were actually cheering for him.

  He looked up the ground and noticed Michael Bayless free in the middle of the pitch.

  ‘If that Irish goalie can kick it past the middle of the ground, then I reckon I should be able to get it to Baylo,’ he muttered to himself.

  Specky ran to the edge of the box and booted the ball with all his might. But as soon as his boot made contact with the ball, he knew it was a shocker. He watched in horror as it dipped dramatically and dropped a good twenty-five metres short of its target.

  Like a swarm of angry bull ants, the smaller Irish players were all over the loose ball. Ross Sweeney, the shortest kid on the Irish team, pounced on it and shot a lightning five-metre pass to Seamus Moore – who wasted no time, and swiftly knocked it on to Eamon O’Sullivan. Before Specky knew it, the ball had sailed back over his head for the first three-point goal of the match.

  Back in the commentary box Tommy Finnigan could barely control himself:

  The Aussies are going to be getting sore necks as they watch the ball go through the uprights. Oh no, folks, I’ve got a bad feeling for ya, if you’re supporting the boys from Down Under. It looks as if they’ve never seen a round ball before, let alone kicked one.

  Give ’em a chance, Tommy. They’re just finding their feet at the moment, and when they do, you won’t be so cocky.

  Specky took another deep breath and once again prepared to bring the ball back into play. This time taking a safer option, he spotted Special K breaking towards the pocket and sent a low bouncing ball in his direction.

  That’s better from the Australians. Kottersley takes possession at half-back. He looks inside and sees Atkins, and goes to him. Atkins marks, handballs on to the running Edwards who takes a bounce on the outer wing.

  ‘Go, Brian!’ urged Specky, watching his good mate sprint towards their forward line.

  Edwards handballs over the top to Morgan, who gives it straight back … This is a great build-up from the Australians. Edwards looks inside where Mitch Mahoney is all on his own and he finds him with one of the few good kicks that they have managed so far.

  With the ball up at the other end of the ground Specky could relax slightly. Of all of his teammates, Mitch had adapted to the round ball best, and Specky felt confident that he would kick a goal and level the scores.

  This is a pretty simple kick for Mahoney. In fact, it was a half-decent passage of play from Australia. Maybe they’ll give our boys some competition after all …

  Mahoney ran in and fired at the goal.

  Oh no, I spoke too soon! Mahoney was lucky to make contact with the ball, and it has sailed well out of bounds for a goalkeeper kick to the Irish. Are these really the best you’ve got, Brian?

  The Australian team was thoroughly embarrassed for the remainder of the first half. Their kicking went from bad to worse, and they managed just one further score by the time the break came around.

  Specky and his team-mates struggled with the round ball and the harder they tried to control it, the worse it got. This was incredibly frustrating for a group of talented and skilful young footballers, and it was getting the better of them. So much so that Specky could see some of his team-mates were reluctant to go after the ball for fear they would muck up the kick.

  Specky got a very good appreciation for what the Irish were able to do with the ball from where he was standing. He was shocked at how skilfully they could spin the ball, make it swerve, dip, float or, when they were firing at goal, make it fly straight, hard and fast at the most incredible speed. The Aussie team was really struggling with the way they needed to make contact with the ball on their boot. With the Aussie Rules ball, the boys ran in a straight line with their target and dropped the ball onto the top part of their boot. The Irish, on the other hand, kicked the round ball across their body, almost running at a right angle to where they were aiming. They kicked the ball ‘around corners’, with top-spin, which enabled them to control the ball with far greater accuracy.

  The Irish superstar Eamon O’Sullivan had kicked two goals, but Specky continued to defend as if his life depended on it. He tried to hold his nerve and not lose his focus no matter how relentless the Irish attack was – especially when a tirade of 3 pointers sailed over his head, all launched from forty and fifty metres out with unerring accuracy.

  ‘Boys, trust me on this one,’ said Special K in his best captain’s voice. ‘We’ll get better at this game. You know it, and I know it. Okay, we’ve struggled so far …’

  Specky glanced up at the scoreboard. ‘Struggled’ was an understatement. The halftime score read: Ireland – 41 Australia – 9

  ‘… but we need to learn from our mistakes,’ Special K continued. ‘We haven’t put any pressure on them, we haven’t tackled them hard, and we’ve let them do what they want. We need to make a statement right now, before this game gets away from us.’

  ‘Yeah, he’s right,’ said Dicky. ‘We haven’t showed them who we are. C’mon!�
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  ‘Let’s stick it to ’em!’ revved Skull. ‘We’re tougher than this!’

  ‘Yeah!’

  ‘C’mon, Aussies!’

  Specky knew that they all had to display some real character now and fight their way back into the contest. ‘We can’t for one second forget that we’re playing two Test Matches,’ he said. ‘It’s not about who wins the first Test, it’s about the total score at the end of the second Test. Even if we lose, we have to make sure we’re as close as possible to their score at the end of the game. At the very worst, let’s keep this match alive for the second Test.’

  A round of ‘yeahs’ and ‘Speck’s right’ echoed throughout the team, and they streamed out to their positions with renewed energy.

  Dicky and the Irish Captain, Sean Kavanagh, bumped each other, waiting for the second half to commence.

  As Specky jogged past them on his way down to the goals he could hear Kavanagh baiting and taunting Dicky.

  ‘I told ya. You lads are all talk,’ he stirred. ‘You think you’re somethin’ special when you’re not.’

  Specky could tell Dicky was wound up like a top. Kavanagh continued his sledging:

  ‘You get everything on a silver platter, but when it comes down to it, you’re just full of it.’

  ‘I’ll show you full of it,’ barked Dicky, lowering his shoulder and bumping Kavanagh with an almighty shove. Caught off guard, the Irish captain toppled to the ground with a thud.

  Oh boy, here we go, thought Specky.

  The crowd was now on their feet. Up in the commentary box, Brian Paylor was beside himself.

  Stand by! Kavanagh was just sat on his bum by Atkins. But, look out … Kavanagh is up and is wrestling Atkins to the ground. IT’S ON HERE, TOMMY!

  Specky and Eamon O’Sullivan were the first to arrive at the scene. Specky grabbed Dicky’s jumper and Eamon grabbed Kavanagh’s. Together they separated the hot-headed duo and managed to end the scuffle.

  ‘You keep your beast under control, and I’ll settle mine down,’ said Eamon to Specky.

  ‘Yeah, no worries!’ Specky nodded.

  ‘And that save ya made was a mighty effort, but it won’t happen again,’ Eamon added.

  While the disagreement on the field had been sorted out, the one in the commentary box was just warming up.

  Your man Atkins started it all, Brian, now don’t you be telling us otherwise.

  Oh, settle down, Tommy. There was nothing in it. Just a couple of kids letting off a bit of steam! We got you worried, have we?

  That’s a good one, that is, Brian. The only thing I’m worried about at the moment is whether we’ll beat you by fifty or one-hundred points. Your boys are getting a walloping, they are.

  Well, let’s see what unfolds in the second half, folks. The Irish have been magnificent and lead by thirtytwo points. Can the Australians make any inroads? O’Sullivan gets the first kick of the second half and kicks in the direction of Kavanagh. Oh boy, he and Atkins are going at it again, folks. Kavanagh picks up the ball and heads to his right. Atkins is charging after him. Kavanagh stops, and tries to go back the other way and BAM! Atkins nails him with one of the best tackles you’ll ever see. Free kick to Atkins and the Kavanagh boy has been badly shaken up.

  Dicky’s tackling was impressive, but watching his team-mates struggle to make in-roads against the Irish made Specky wish he were out there driving the ball forward.

  Dicky stood with the ball, ready to kick. But all the Aussie players were covered and couldn’t break away from their opponents. Specky knew it would be disastrous at this point for the Irish to get possession. He inched out of his square a little way, then a bit further …

  I don’t have a direct opponent, he thought suddenly. I could make a real difference here …

  Specky called out to Dicky at the top of his lungs. Dicky turned at the sound of Specky’s voice.

  He looked stunned to see his goalkeeper abandon the goals and run to the wing. But he didn’t hesitate for a second. He booted the ball to Specky.

  It took everyone by surprise, even Brian Paylor and Tommy Finnegan in the commentary box.

  I have to admit, that was a fine tackle. Atkins goes back and kicks to … Hang on a second … he kicks to Magee – way out there on the outer wing. What in heaven’s name is he doing there? He must be at least eighty metres away from his goal line. This is sheer lunacy. I’ve never seen anything like it in my fifty years of covering football. What on earth is a goalkeeper doing so far away from his goal? The Aussies have gone completely mad!

  Specky gathered the ball. There were no Aussies within fifty metres of him and he knew he couldn’t kick the round ball accurately enough at that distance to ensure it didn’t end up with an Irish player. He looked back at his goal – completely unprotected. So he took off towards the Irish goal, sprinting forward, bouncing the ball as he went.

  Well, it might be mad, Tommy, but have a look at this kid go. It’s poetry in motion. Simon Magee, the Australian goalkeeper is now inside his own team’s forward line. He chips the ball over the head of Murphy and finds Morgan …

  Specky was caught up in the moment. He stole a quick glance back at his own goals and saw that Dicky had run back to cover for him.

  I’ve come this far, I might as well keep going, he thought, as he cut inside his opponent and sprinted towards Skull.

  ‘Lennnny!’ hollered Specky, calling for Skull to pass the ball back to him, as he sprinted.

  Skull speared a beautiful handball a couple of metres in front of Specky. Specky ran on to it, gathered the ball, and looked up. There were only two Irish players left in front of him, the full-back and the goalie.

  Specky ran straight at the full-back, who charged him. Specky took a step to his right and held the ball away from his body for a split second. The full-back went straight for the ball, as Specky had anticipated.

  Specky pulled the ball back in to his body and spun away, executing the perfect blind turn.

  He was now in clear space, only five metres from the goal. The goalie charged off his line, but Specky simply chipped the ball in the softest, most exquisite manner and lobbed it perfectly over his head – it landed in the back of the net.

  The stadium erupted.

  I SEE IT, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE IT! That is the greatest individual performance I have ever seen in my life and it came from a fourteen-year-old Australian. Ladies and gentleman, if you only heard me describing what just happened, you could be forgiven for thinking that I’ve been drinking. Oh, what a goal, what a run, what a player!

  Specky wasn’t quite sure what he had just done. All he knew was that he was at the other end of the ground from where he was supposed to be, and now he needed to get back to his position quickly.

  His team-mates ran from all corners of the pitch to congratulate him – jumping on top of him. The crowd was up on its feet, giving Specky a standing ovation. By the time he got back to the goals, he was exhausted.

  ‘Man, that was beautiful,’ said Dicky, running up and hugging him. ‘You’re a legend, Speck.’

  Specky’s inspirational goal lifted the Aussies and for the next ten minutes they managed to outscore the Irish by ten points. But the momentum slowly shifted back the other way.

  It was glaringly obvious that there were major differences between the two teams. The Irish boys could make the round ball do anything with their unbelievable kicking skills and they were blindingly quick. Specky and his team-mates never once gave in, but they simply couldn’t keep up once the ball found its way into the open spaces – which it often did, due to the fact the Australians were spraying almost every kick they had.

  In the last five minutes of the game, with the Irish leading by 36 points, and the chance of Australia pulling that margin back in the second Test looking more and more unlikely by the minute, Grub dramatically changed the team.

  He put all of his tall players, including Lurch Freeman, Mitch Mahoney, Michael Bayless, and Dicky into the forward line and s
ent clear instructions down to Rick Cosker who doubled as the team’s runner.

  ‘Grub says to kick the ball as high as you can when we go into our forward line,’ he instructed. ‘It might be easier to control the ball off your boots that way and maybe we can out-mark them with the big fellas.’

  Everyone thought the game was done and dusted.

  Well, Brian, the series is probably over, to be honest. No team would be able to close in a thirty-sixpoint deficit in the second Test. And, have a look at this, will ya? I think your coach, the great Grub Gordan, agrees with me. He’s putting all his giants into the forward line. The way they’ve been kicking, these boys will have nothing to catch.

  But the very next play saw the ball bounce out wide. It was picked up by Brian. He immediately booted the ball as high as he could and floated it towards Lurch and his opponent. The Irish defender misjudged the ball badly, but big Lurch simply stuck up his hands and took an easy mark.

  Specky looked on with great interest as his team-mates dominated the last five minutes of the game. Lurch kicked another two goals, as did Mitch – and Michael also added one. It was a gallant effort by the Australians, but not quite enough to reverse the scores. When the final siren sounded, the Irish team burst into wild celebrations and song.

  Specky trudged to the centre of the ground where the players from both teams had gathered to shake hands.

  Eamon O’Sullivan, who was named the best player on the ground, jogged towards Specky and stuck out his hand – he was smiling from ear to ear. ‘Fair play to ya, mate,’ he said. ‘You played a smashing game. I’m not sure if you realise, though, goalkeepers are not really supposed to kick the goals.’

  ‘Yeah, thanks a lot, mate,’ said Specky, shaking Eamon’s hand. ‘But you guys were far too good. I’ve never seen so many quick players in one team in all my life.’

  ‘Yep, we can run, all right – there’s no worries about that,’ Eamon said. ‘But I’m not sure we’re going to grow any taller in a couple of days. Anyways, we’ll see you in Galway.’