Pick these ones out.
Nothing beats a green flag. When you look back over any game, the first thing to jump into your mind is the goals scored.
They’re worth three points, but they’re also worth so much more, in terms of a team’s momentum, belief and confidence. It will win their supporters over and it really will change the course of a game.
The rattling of the net, the immediate dejection of the goalkeeper and defenders, the jubilation of the crowd, scorer and teammates, the umpire’s enthusiastic flailing of that green flag.
They’re the things that make young ones want to play the game in the first place.
It takes something to score a goal, it takes something else. It’s always easy to take that safe bet and tap it over the bar. Goalscorers take the plunge, they’re daring, they put their balls on the line and they go for it.
The 2017 hurling Championship treated us to some of these moments of pure audacity, of pure unfiltered magic, of pure balls.
Here’s the best of the best, as reflected by their nomination for the prestigious Wooly award from Colm Parkinson and The GAA Hour.
Austin Gleeson vs Cork
Most other inter-county players would have passed this ball at two or even three different occasions along the slaloming path that Gleeson carved out for himself towards Anthony Nash’s goal in the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.
Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh called and called for it. Gleeson had another thing on his mind.
Four Cork defenders converged on him, surely he’d pop it out now.
The things Austin Gleeson sees are different to what everyone else sees, though, and with a daring piece of individualism, with a ballsy conviction in his own wizardry, with a devilish piece of execution, with a frightening dummy, and with an ignorance of the often drilled ‘team spirit,’ he conjured up the greatest goal of the year, and possibly one of the greatest ever.
THIS goal helped 'Na Déise' to reach Sunday's #GALvWAT All-Ireland Hurling Final! Look back at Austin Gleeson's superb run/goal vs Cork! pic.twitter.com/VKifYPPUYO
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 29, 2017
Jamie Barron vs Kilkenny
Similar to his teammate Gleeson, Barron had numerous opportunities to tap it over the bar, to take the easy option, be humble and lay it off to a teammate.
He took it on, he backed himself, he thought, “I can do something magic here.”
That he did, dispatching of Cillian Buckley with the most convincing dummy, before searing through the heart of the Kilkenny backline.
Bearing down on goals, he performed yet another specialised dummy before giving Eoin Murphy no chance.
A goal borne out of confidence, imagination, of conviction and sorcery. Take a bow Jamie Barron.
Alan Cadogan vs Clare
There was only one thing on his mind when he received the ball.
Had the quickest defender in hurling, Seadna Morey, turned in an instant, bore down on goal, spotted an opportunity, and the finish was unstoppable.
Speed, skill, belief in the Munster hurling final.
Class.
You can watch it from 0:17 in the highlight reel below.
WATCH:
HT: Clare 0-08 Cork 1-10. Alan Cadogan leading the way for @OfficialCorkGAA. The Rebels lead the #MunsterFinal by 5. #GAAClips pic.twitter.com/xaW76n5oED— eir Sport (@eirSport) July 9, 2017
Kyle Hayes vs Clare
Out in front of his man, knew a three pointer was the only option with game out of Limerick’s reach in the dying stages of the game.
When he knew he had to do it, he did it with an absolute rasper of a shot in the opening round of the Munster Championship.
Definitely one to watch.
Winner.
There was only ever going to be one winner. Austin Gleeson, just wow.
“Pace, weaving skill, a cheeky touch of class,” said Damien Hayes.
“It was beyond belief what he did there, I’ve never seen a goal like that, showing that much skill in a tight area,” said Colm Parkinson.
No arguing.
Tht Wooly Awards Goal of the Year.
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