Cross's quiet man

By Sinead McNicholl

Francie Bellew (right) in action against St Brigid's last month

It's a chilly night in Crossmaglen and as usual, Francie Bellew is doing his talking out on the field as he prepares for Saturday's AIB All-Ireland Club Football Final against Dr Crokes.

The only time I've ever heard him talk was a very short post-match interview after last year's Ulster final when he had been named man-of-the-match.

In fact, I'm not even sure I'd recognise his voice if I heard it.

Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh agrees.

"The phrase 'quiet man' sums up Francie down to a tee. They used to say that I was the quiet man but Francie is even quieter than me.

"But he's a pleasure to work with. The only thing you have to watch out for is that he's in and out of the dressing-room very quickly after training.

"There was an occasion when we were to meet up but Francie didn't even know about it because he had gone out of the dressing-room that bloody quickly after the previous session," chuckles Murtagh.

Francie was equally mobile on the night I was at training.

While I waited for my chance, I chatted with a few Cross players who know him better than most.

"He's a very unassuming fellow. He's a very quiet fellow but he can be very witty also," reveals Armagh star Oisin McConville.

He has his moments as well - especially when he's out on the dancefloor Tyrone's Philip Jordan

"He doesn't do much talking but he seems to do most of it on the field. His actions speak louder than his words and he's an inspiration to us all."

Tony McEntee says simply that "Francie means to the world to us as a player and as a team-mate".

"From the fans' reaction in the All-Ireland Club semi-final against St Brigid's, he wasn't expected to be playing but when the team was announced and he was playing full-back, it was the only cheer from the two teams being called out.

"He's an icon to our players but also to the youth of the area."

Clearly Francie is loved in Crossmaglen and Armagh but what about outside his county?

You'd think that Armagh's biggest rivals wouldn't have too many kind words for Francie but Tyrone's Philip Jordan is happy to surprise you.

He spent some time with Francie on the All Stars tour in Hong Kong a couple of years ago.

"He's a tough defender. He gets a lot of stick because maybe some people think he doesn't have the football skills but the art of defending is a skill as well and Francie has perfected that," says Jordan.

"Everybody knows when they play against him that they are definitely not going to get anything easy.

"He's quiet enough but he has his moments as well - especially when he's out on the dancefloor. But we'll say nothing more about that."

Oisin McConville says that Bellew is an inspirational figure

Francie the dancer? If only we had had a camera in Hong Kong.

Francie has been accused of being a dirty player but did you know that he has never been sent off for his club and that he has seen red on only two occasions during his Armagh career - and one of those dismissals was later rescinded.

Bellew's hardman image is something which annoys Armagh manager Joe Kernan.

"I've been looking after Francie from a manager's point of view since he was 17. He is one of those model footballers who you never had a problem with. He goes out and trains and there are never any complaints," says Kernan.

"Even when he's injured, he probably doesn't tell you how serious the injury is.

"Over the last few years, I've been worried for Francie because of the reputation that he is supposed to have got.

"The way the media have treated him which been totally unfair. This has rubbed off on a lot of referees and Francie now is nearly booked before he even leaves the dressing-room."

But the hardman image doesn't seem to bother the man himself as much.

It took 10 minutes to persuade him to do an interview and he needed to see a list of the questions beforehand.

However, the answers soon started to trickle out.

I haven't seen the tee-shirts yet but I want to know who is making money out of them Francie Bellew on his cult status

"When I saw Armagh playing against the likes of Kerry, I was sitting there and thinking that I'd like to be out there. Yeah, that was my dream."

You wonder whether Francie's tongue is left slightly in his cheek when he ventures legendary Meath hardman Mick Lyons as his favourite player during his youth.

Perhaps, that demonstrates the Bellew wit mentioned earlier by Oisin McConville.

As regards, the biggest influence on his career, there is no hesitation.

"It has to be Joe Kernan for taking me under his wing with Armagh."

Would you have played for Armagh if Joe hadn't been manager?

"Probably not," is the candid reply.

Looking back on Armagh's emotional All-Ireland triumph in 2002, Bellew recalls "an unbelievable experience".

"If you couldn't play football there, you should just quit."

Francie seems almost embarrassed about his cult status among Crossmaglen and Armagh fans.

Armagh boss Joe Kernan has huge respect for Bellew

Are you aware of it, when you are out on the field?

"I am because Benny Tierney comes up to my face and tells me all about it. It's good fun."

And what about the Francie Bellew tee-shirts and the website?

"I haven't seen the tee-shirts yet but I want to know who is making money out of them.

"I have been made to have a look at the website. It's a bit of craic."

And that was it.

I had gone where very few reporters had gone before.

I'm not sure how much we've learned about Francie but one definite, is that Armagh GAA supporters think the world of him.

We'll leave the last few words to Joe Kernan.

"Respect him from what he is. A genuine man who gives 100 per cent every day he goes out.

"He loves his football. Please don't spoil it."