The day Derek Duggan unleashed an unmerciful goal into the back of the Meath net

As the Meath footballers visit the Hyde this evening, Saturday, to take on Roscommon, it stirs up some great childhood memories.

The year is 1991 and as a nine-year-old from Roscommon the opportunities to travel to our capital city were few and far between. I suppose there wasn’t much need to ever travel to Dublin as we had everything we wanted at our doorstep.

That summer I followed the Roscommon football team’s league and championship journey by travelling with the Carroll family from Castlerea to every game that our primrose and blue heroes played in.

Our championship campaign started off with a win against Leitrim in the Hyde, followed by a draw away to Mayo in Castlebar. A late monster free from Derek Duggan, which some say was taken from as far out as the back of the stand, was to save my blushes. Castlebar is my mother’s home town, so that free from my Castlerea hero propelled him into the dizzying heights that present day nine-year-old children hold Mo Salah in.

In a close fought replay against Mayo in the Hyde we came out winners and captain John Newton lofted the Nestor Cup high into sky as I proudly fought through the huge crowd of people celebrating to try and get a better view of our heroes.

Roscommon’s Connacht heroics set up the opportunity for me to pay my first visit to Croke Park for a huge semi-final encounter with Meath. Would the Carroll’s have room in the car to bring me though?......it was never in doubt!

On the sunny morning of August 8th, 1991 six of us packed in and hit off in a Toyota Carina for Croke Park. The flask of tea and basket of sandwiches were in the boot, so we were fully prepared for our epic journey.

As I sat on Eddie Carroll’s lap in the back seat my mind dreamt of all the great things which were to greet us that day. I’d say poor Elaine Carroll’s head was so wrecked with my constant excited blabbering that she had to shut out the noise by switching on her Walkman, which played the latest Michael Bolton album!

When we reached Dublin and drove through the streets my eyes were firmly fixed on the buildings that I recognised from television. Every so often a yellow jersey would appear and as that continued it filled me with confidence, but it did cross my mind  who was left at home?

I don’t really recall seeing too much of the exterior of Croke Park as I entered. This was mainly due to the fact that I was firmly focused on keeping a tight grip of the hands of those who brought me, while they pulled me through a sea of yellow and green and eventually into our seats.

The pitch just looked perfect, and the noise was something that I had never experienced before. I viewed it as a theatre from the footballing Gods.

When the referee threw in the ball it was the first time I really felt nervous at a football game. The game ebbed and flowed and then just before half time one of those special moments in life occurred when a 19-year-old Derek Duggan unleashed an unmerciful wallop to the ball which thundered into the back of the Meath net. (Click on the link below to relieve that moment)

The roars and cheers were deafening as the half time whistle blew with Roscommon leading 1-7 to Meath’s 0-7. It was mentioned to me at half time that if Roscommon won that we would have another day out in Croker. I was desperate that we could hold on. It certainly looked that way when we went five points clear in the second half, but Meath were relentless and grabbed the winner to break my heart and the hearts of all of Roscommon with the last kick of the game.

As we made the long trek home, I was downbeat but still had a glow in my heart. Stuck in traffic in Dublin a young cheeky Dub approached the car when he saw the blue and yellow headband hanging from the rear-view mirror "Haha hard luck Ros". Our driver, a proud Tipp man, was quick to shout back putting manners on him - it's Tipperary ya gobs***e"!

The Sunday game was recorded on the VCR when I reached home. As the days passed, I looked at Duggan’s goal over and over again, taking to the back garden commentating in my head “McManus to Duggan….it’s a goal” as I struck the ball into the hedge which I pretended was a goal in Croke Park. I suppose looking back sometimes when you lose, you still kind of win.

Wouldn’t it be brilliant to see the Rossies produce their best for Meath this weekend? One thing is for sure it certainly promises to be one royal bank holiday weekend for the town. Let’s back the team on our home ground. I know it’s been tough of late but in the words of Michael Bolton who sang in the back of the Carina on the way to Croker in 1991 “Tell me how can we be lovers if we can't be friends?” Get your hats, scarfs, and headbands ready folks and most importantly, enjoy your day in the county town.

Click on the link below to relieve that glorious Derek Duggan moment against Meath back in 1991.