Stevie McDonnell still has it.
A legend of Armagh, the Killeavy attacker was one of the deadliest attackers Gaelic football has been lucky enough to witness. With explosive pace and sharp shooting, he was the Orchard County’s go-to forward for many years.
Winner of one All-Ireland, seven Ulster titles and three All-Stars, McDonald had a successful innings during Armagh’s glory days but he’s not finished up just yet.
Still going strong at 38, the Killeavy man hasn’t hung up his boots just yet. In fact, his grá for gaelic hasn’t weaned one bit.
“I’m 38, but I can guarantee you, you go look in the boot of my car and there’s an O’Neill’s football there,” he said on Thursday’s GAA Hour Football Show.
“I’ve a new pair of boots arriving today. Adidas, Adipure. They’re arriving today and I’m excited waiting for them. I ordered a pair for my young fella as well and he’s excited, but I think I’m more excited waiting for mine to arrive.
Indeed, McDonnell is still plying his trade for Killeavy, and in a club game at the weekend, the forward turned ‘keeper proved that he hasn’t lost his shooting boots.
With the same, distinctive style he used for years in the orange of Armagh, McDonnell lined up a 45, kicked it on the sweet spot and watched it sail over the bar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjIgeD7AN7A/?taken-by=allgaa_
Video Credit: AllGAA_
Shooting was always McDonnell’s trump card, but that was only because he takes it so serious. Always measured and efficient, he’s a staunch critic of the ‘pot-shot’ outside of the boot technique.
“The best piece of advice is, play yourself into the game. Keep things simple. How many times do we see a player get onto the ball for the first time in a match, and he goes to put the ball over the bar with the outside of his boot, and he absolutely balloons it?
“I hate to see that. My biggest pet hate coaching players is, all of these players thinking they’ve a brilliant ability to kick the ball with the outside of the boot.”
“Go with the high percentage kick. Conor McManus last week on the sideline, all of the qualities that he has, he still went with the inside of his boot to put that fantastic score over the bar. It is the best way…It’s very rare (you’d see Conor McManus kicking with the outside of his boot)”
McDonnell is worth listening to.
You can listen to this chat and much more from Thursday’s GAA Hour Show right here.
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