Originally Posted by
Donegalcelt
Sport
Johnny’s Turkish Delight
Johnny Dunleavy captained the heroic Republic of Ireland Under-17 side that dramatically qualified for the European Championships on Tuesday. He spoke to Alan Foley before and after that memorable game.
Moments after Armenian referee Arman Amirkhanyan blasted the final whistle at Terryland Park last Thursday to conclude the Republic of Ireland Under-17s' draw with Germany, home supporters trickled off into the different directions of the night satisfied with the goal apiece draw.
In front of Galway United's clubhouse, Brendan Dunleavy stood patiently in the chill. Under the glare of the floodlights that illuminated the dimly-lit Dyke Road, the Ballybofey native focused on the post-match events as attentively as the contest that had preceded it.
There, the Irish team warmed down, before they sportingly shared a reciprocal applause with the visiting Germans, who made their way to the dressing rooms after the opening fixture of the UEFA Under-17 Elite Group Stage.
Whilst the away players wandered toward the showers, the Irish youngsters, still decked in shorts, socks, and muddened at the knees, stopped and stooped over the advertising hoardings.
They exchanged hearty handshakes and hugs with family members and friends who travelled to the banks of the bellowing Corrib from all corners of the country to see their loved ones in green jerseys.
Dunleavy, a financial adviser by trade, is appreciated in Donegal having represented the senior county footballers in his own day. Now his son Johnny, a first year apprentice with Wolverhampton Wanderers, is undertaking a telling path of his own.
Sean McCafferty's team's draw against Germany provided Dunleavy and his teammates with a respectable start to the second phase on the road that meanders to May's European Championships in Turkey.
However, on Saturday at Athlone Town's Lissywollen Stadium, a surprise 2-1 defeat against Greece put Ireland on elimination's brink. It was a Greek tragedy. Before the final pool game against Portugal back in Galway, the mountain they faced was dauntingly steep.
With the gameplan now significantly altered, Ireland's teens sought a German victory over Greece in the midlands on closing night. At the same time, they required a win themselves against Portugal, at the very least, by a similar scoreline of two goals or more. Only that conundrum would enable Ireland to seize the singular place on offer.
All four teams would then finish level on four points. Goal difference would prove the only differential. Ireland's players, who gathered at the Clayton Hotel, then gazed through a cloudless Galway spring evening from the bus window dreaming of what might be. The margins were wafer-thin, their odds perhaps long, but an element of hope lingered in the air.
"We couldn't really believe that we lost the match against Greece," began Dunleavy. "It was one of them nights, we had so many chances, and we were absolutely devastated. We regrouped though and spoke about the Portugal match.
"We knew there was every chance that Germany would beat Greece. That was the only way they could stay in the competition. If they could, we knew what we had to do. At half-time, we were scoreless, and we knew that Germany were 1-0 up. Winning our own game was our priority."
In remarkable fashion, the events of the evening began to gradually unfold in front of disbelieving eyes. John Cunningham of Manchester City volleyed home through a crowded area to manufacture an Irish lead on 51 minutes. Then, six minutes later, Gavin Gunning rose highest to add a second. Turkey seemed so much closer.
Germany though, were two up themselves, and only nine Greeks remained on the field after two of their conscripts were sent off. A third German goal would eliminate Ireland. And like Ireland, it was backs to the wall stuff for Greece. In hindsight, perhaps it was easier for the brave Irish players to endure the torment of matters out of their control by focusing on their own immediate concerns.
"About two minutes from time, we were 2-0 up, and Sean McCafferty said that if we could hold out we would be on our way to the European Championships in Turkey," continued Dunleavy. "Portugal pushed on with their wingers and our 'keeper made a couple of great saves. Thank God we held out. It was brilliant at the final whistle. We're absolutely delighted. Unbelievable."
Liverpool, the team Dunleavy supports, have shown the way. Miracles, like theirs in Istanbul in 2005, are known to float amid the night air in the far off sultry land where west meets east.
A stylish central defender, one that appears to have both confidence and competence in equal measure on the football pitch, the 16-year-old is similarly impressive in his demeanour. Perhaps it's his family's influence or maybe it's because of his personal make-up, but Dunleavy has his feet rooted firmly rooted to the ground.
Formerly of the Uniteds of Ballybofey and Drumkeen, he has plenty on board and possesses a willingness to learn in what is one of the most rough and tumble businesses. He ticks all the right boxes in the ultra-competitive world that young aspiring professionals find themselves in.
A regular spectator at Finn Park, Dunleavy also wore the GAA colours of the MacCumhaill's club with distinction. He even became the youngest competition winner in the history of Ballybofey & Stranorlar Golf Club. Last July, after pondering a proposal that came from an envelope with a Wolverhampton postmark upon it, he left for pastures new.
"Things are going great and I'm really enjoying myself at Wolves," Dunleavy added. "I'm playing a bit for the reserves now alongside the likes of Gary Breen, Darron Gibson, Graham Stack and Kevin Kyle that used to play for Sunderland. It's a good standard.
"Lorcan Keeney from Letterkenny was over there a couple of years ago. Although I never got the chance to talk to him before I left, I've managed to track him down on the internet, on Bebo, and he's been wondering how I am getting on and I've kept in touch with him."
Over the road from Molineux, Dunleavy has another familiar face. Gavin Carlin, a goalkeeper from the Crossroads, shared the good luck messages as both he and his companion Dunleavy headed from the Finn Valley to the Black Country together.
Carlin is a West Bromwich Albion conscript and part of the Hawthorns' outfit's second string. In January at Compton Park, a 1-1 draw between the two sides in the Under-18s meant everyone could go happy.
"Some lads get really homesick but I can honesty say that I'm loving every single minute of it. I get to meet Gavin quite a bit and we head off shopping together. It's nice to have a friend so close.
"The family that I get digs with are great to me. I'm talking to mum and dad almost every day and get decent holidays to go home and see my friends. You hear a lot of stories about trainees but the lads at Wolves have no reason to complain. We're not even asked to clean the first-teamers boots anymore! In playing football, we're doing what we've always wanted."
Johnny Dunleavy needn't clean the boots of others. The pair he owns, and the good head upon his shoulders, will see that his bright future continues.
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