SEAN MAGUIRE CAME back to haunt Dundalk in yesterday’s FAI Cup final.
The 22-year-old striker’s deflected effort found the back of the net in the last minute of extra-time to break the Lilywhites’ hearts.
And the goal would have been all the sweeter for Maguire given that it came against the team who he failed to sparkle for during a brief stint at the club last season.
Chances at Dundalk were few and far between for the Irish forward, who has also had spells at Waterford United and West Ham over the course of his young career.
After no goals in six appearances for Stephen Kenny’s side last year, John Caulfield took a gamble on the youngster that has ultimately paid off handsomely.
Maguire was recently named the PFAI Young Player of the Year and finished as the league’s top scorer with 18 goals in 30 appearances, but none were as precious as his last-gasp winner at the Aviva yesterday.
I didn’t really know much about him when I signed him,” Caulfield admitted in the post-match press conference. “I knew who he was and what he could do, but I hadn’t really seen him performing and I didn’t promise him anything.
“There was no one looking for him (when we signed him). He was a really humble person, feet on the ground and I just told him he’d get opportunities if he worked hard and you could see very quickly he was a phenomenal player.
He started pre-season on fire and he just kept right through. He was outstanding in Europe and it was fitting for him to get the goal at the start of the season in the President’s Cup, and it was fitting for him to get the winner today.
“I’m more about the person really. I like fellas who really want to win, I like good lads who train hard and put the work in. If they do that then and you’re not good enough, that’s fine. I like real honesty and real guys who are dedicated and he’s one of those, and all the squad really are now.”
Nevertheless for all his success at Cork and positive attributes, Maguire’s future is uncertain, with Caulfield suggesting he could return to England in the close season.
“We have 12 of the squad under contract for next year. Sean isn’t and he knows we want him. There may be an opportunity for him to go to the UK, so we’ll decide over the next week. The situation with a lad like Seanie, when he moves on and as a club and as a manager, you want him to go to a higher level again.
But you can go to a higher level at the moment, when you have a club like us that’s playing in Europe, playing in front of 30,000 out here.
“If that opportunity comes for him, he may go. He’s very happy with us. He has the confidence of myself. And personally, I think for him, the time is right to stay with us, so we’ll see.”
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Imagine the howls of outrage and the screams of “Waaayyyycism!” on the journal if the situation was reversed!
But this is racism but not in the right way so no one will talk about it, no one likes to talk about racism against white people.
An everyday example of the double standards that exist with race relations.
I couldn’t possibly say whether Mike Tyson is racist – he may be, he may not be – but what I can say is that if this story was reversed, the Journal’s house woollies (regular readers know who they are) would have been all over this story like a rash. As it is they’re conspicuous in their absence.
Well including this thread there are currently 5 of the 14 comments on this page alluding to the fact that his remark was racist, that’s 36% of the comments on the page. Considering the guys other flaws that’s a pretty good hit rate.
So what if he’s a rapist, he was a damn good boxer.
*racist* Bloody auto correct.
Spike Lee is an overt racist yet he gets away with it even being nominated for Academy Awards.
Why is this animal kept in the spot light. He’s a convicted rapist and has done his sport no favours in bitting his opponents. He also feels it’s appropriate to call someone a “white motherf***er”. If he was called a black motherf***er it would be racist. He’s been in films, had huge air time on TV and Radio, it just doesn’t make sense. Can we not cut this guy loose and find decent people in the world to fill the role he’s occupying.
You can analyse and criticize till the cows come home but there’s only one conclusion you can arrive at.
Mike Tyson had no choice but to become Mike Tyson.
He was a boxer. A ruthless fighting machine. A man in a brutal sport trying to survive.
He was born for the ring.
And that makes raping ok then? Seriously we all have a huge part to play in who we become. External factors influence but not decide who we want to be.
Polarising characters be it positive or negative will always fascinate people, the media and of course people that can make money off their back.
Looking for Doug……
Role models must be petty thin on the ground these days
Why is this bullying rapist still being glorified today???
Cause he is awesome
So you think rape is awesome??? You pathetic fool
Mind your ears son mike is hungry …….
Mike Tyson’s Autobiography is a great read but it can easily be summarised in three words: Boxing, women, cocaine.
Don’t forget , rape.
He should be still in prison how he is allowed into Europe never mind Ireland baffles me because he is a convicted sex offender.
relax he’s not racist sure he was practically adopted by white folks. it’s just how them brooklyn boys talk.
Sun Kil Moon’s ‘Ghosts of the Great Highway’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjA3EbKsl4E&list=PL9C56160C8E63F654
One of the best albums of the last ten years.
Pays tribute to some boxing legends who died too young. Particularly poignant is Duk Koo Kim died in the ring against Ray Mancini, trying to haul himself to his feet with his last breath.
Changed the sport forever.
Well worth a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBBqLPUxddc
A black man cannot be racist