The 16th Man

ALMOST unnoticed outside of the west Fergal O’Donnell has turned Roscommon into a competitive team with a chance of breaking into the top eight.

The Rossies made the All-Ireland quarter-finals last year and they put in a creditable showing against eventual champions Cork.

And they are a great bet to return to Croke Park again this summer as they remain on track to put together back-to-back Connacht titles for the first time in 20 years.

O’Donnell has been central to most of Roscommon’s success for the past decade and more.

He was captain when they won the Nestor Cup in 2001 and the 39-year-old was in charge when the minors won a historic All-Ireland title, beating Kerry after an epic replay in Ennis five years ago.

There was a huge groundswell of local opinion behind him when John Maughan walked away as acrimony in 2009 and he took the job even though it was hardly a plum appointment at the time.

Things didn’t start well for him either, with his first Connacht Championship game as a boss ending in an embarrassing and humbling 20-point defeat to Mayo at McHale Park.

But within 12 months Roscommon were Connacht champions and the 12/1 they were quoted at just a few weeks ago to retain their crown now looks like tremendous value with Sligo and Leitrim eliminated and both Mayo and Galway apparently in crisis.

There is a new breed of progressive young managers around the country, with the likes Kieran McGeeney, James McCartan, Jim McGuinness and Justin McNulty the poster boys for this movement.

But the quietly spoken Boyle-based garda is proving himself to be at the head of this pack.

When he took over Rossies were just hoping that he would put to an end the crises that dogged the county’s footballers and bring them back to respectability.

The Roscommon Gaels man though has gone much further. He has infused his young team with confidence and they play with serious togetherness.

O’Donnell has enough quality footballers to build a good side around, from Geoffrey Claffey in goals to Senan Kilbride at full forward. Peter Domincan, Donie Shine, Seanie McDermott and Karol Mannion would walk into most teams.

They won promotion to Division 3 for next season, but they are an outfit capable of living at a much higher level.

A second consecutive All-Ireland quarter-final appearance shouldn’t be beyond them this year and could be just another step on an upward ascent.

And with the big two in Connacht apparently facing into periods of transition Roscommon could enjoy some time in the sun.