It could happen to anyone, even a number one as good as Paddy O’Rourke.
If you’re a GAA goalkeeper, it’s always worth a refresher warning of the importance of your angles because Ireland International Rules star O’Rourke was caught out by them.
Taking your angles for granted can be damn well costly and Meath almost paid the price on Saturday against Sligo when O’Rourke turned his back on the play thinking he was safe in the knowledge that the ball was going dead.
Three points up, last ditch attack, Sligo had a goal chance from six yards out to tie the game before they actually went on and scored a point. And it all could’ve been avoided.
Sligo launch the ball in for one last effort.
Paddy O’Rourke is watching it go wide.
He turns to tell the umpire that it’s headed outside the post too.
What he doesn’t know is that the ball has hit the post.
Everyone’s watching it drop except him.
He realises as the ball bounces in the square.
It gets popped off and Sligo have a chance from here.
But it’s rushed, it’s scuffed and it’s missed.
Meath hold on and advance to Round 3.
“It was a very, very bizarre incident,” Royal native Cian Ward described the incident on The GAA Hour.
“It looked like an aimless enough ball hoofed forward from Sligo in the last play of the game. Paddy O’Rourke felt the ball was going wide, stood at the post, turned his back on the play and the ball hit the post and dropped down into the square.
“Only for the ball was cleared off the line – it was actually a very poor finish from David Kelly from Sligo – that would’ve been just unbelievable for Sligo to win the game in such circumstances.
“It’s very strange because, at face value, he has absolutely everything you’d need for a top class goalkeeper. He has the ability to drive the ball short and long with his kickout, he’s commanding in the air, we haven’t seen anything like that in previous years.”
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