Murtagh aiming for smoother sailing Stateside

Diarmuid Murtagh possesses something no other Roscommon player on the current panel does — the experience of facing New York and the knowledge of how to deal with the unusual build-up to a game against the Statesiders. Even though Roscommon are expected to dispatch their hosts in routine fashion on Sunday evening, Murtagh has experienced that expectancy before.

But he doesn’t need reminding about the grim reality that faced the Primrose and Blue ten years ago when the Rossies were forced to fight tooth and nail to avoid one of the biggest shock defeats — in not just the county’s history but in GAA history.

For the Roscommon captain, he feels that it is important to remind the group that these types of games can become edgy if New York are left hanging in the contest.

“The experience was brilliant, apart from the match,” he smiled.

“I would be doing the lads a disservice if I didn’t call upon my experience of that trip. Just everything that goes with it along with the football game, supporters being in a big city like New York.

“It is a great trip, a fantastic experience, and when you see all the people who have travelled so far just to see you playing a game of football, it is a very humbling experience. I am really looking forward to it.

“We get energy from getting over there and seeing the support we have worldwide. You just imagine when you are playing on TG4 or RTÉ that these people are over there watching you, so you want to give them something to shout about. It is something we get energy from,” Murtagh stated at the launch of the Connacht SFC in Bekan on Thursday.

The loss of Murtagh’s older brother Ciaráin, Niall Daly and Donie Smith to retirement before the season commenced was a key reason why Roscommon were heavy favourites for an immediate return to Division Two. However, Murtagh admitted that such outside opinions lit a fire underneath the group, and there’s nothing in the water this season to suggest that Roscommon will be caught up in the Gaelic Park quicksand, like they were in 2016.

“I could see where people were coming from with that prediction but that was music to our ears in pre-season. It got us all going. Young lads were coming in, and they knew they were going to get an opportunity, which is great for them and the squad.

“Lads who were on the panel the last few years got an opportunity, took it and are still taking it. It is very positive. We can’t complain about the league,” he stated.

One of the major talking points from the recent league finals was the change to the hooter rule.

Roscommon were the first to experience the full impact of the rule change in their opening round league defeat to Kerry, as a result of Tomás Kennedy’s buzzer-beater at the death. Consequently, Murtagh feels that the system used to end games in 2025 gave greater clarity to players and supporters alike.

“Killarney was the longest five seconds I’ve ever come across. I was thinking about it afterwards — that if we were in the Hyde, whoever was in charge of the hooter could delay it as well, so that is where you might have issues if it is in county grounds. People would nearly get so engrossed in what is happening that they would forget to restart the clock.

“It probably could be adapted a small bit. I like it when the hooter goes, and there is one more play before the ball goes dead, because it is very definite then. That is what I would probably prefer to be honest,” the St. Faithleach’s forward noted.

Murtagh has been in a rich vein of form so far this year, finishing as the second-highest scorer in Division One, after sitting out the final round game against Mayo.

When asked what he gained from playing under the rule enhancements last year, Murtagh points out that the learning has been subconscious while also stating that playing “heads up” football has helped him contribute handsomely on the scoreboard.

“You have probably learnt unbeknownst to yourself. I always find as a forward you need to adapt to what is in front of you. You can’t just go in planning to play a certain way. You bring your values and your talent to the table, and your workrate.

“I think you need to adapt as the game goes on — the player that is marking you, what they like and don’t like. As a forward, you need to adapt to what is around you and play for the team as well. A lot of the time, when you are playing for the team, you end up playing well yourself.

“With the rules specifically, the wind has probably helped me with the two-pointers. I know that is a strength of my game. I don’t shy away from that.

“As a forward, one of your jobs is to score by being in the right positions at the right time. Also knowing my team-mates and what they want to do with the ball, that helps more so than the new rules themselves,” he concluded.