Photo: @funshona1976 (via Twitter)
Holy Mother of God, not only is it Wednesday already but it’s half-way through the day as well. As Declan Nerney might say, stop the world and let me off for a breather there boss.
Right, I think everyone needs a good guffaw to start proceedings today. You’ll recall, no doubt, the imbecilic stupidity that was the contribution made by ex-refs’ chief Pat McEnaney on the officiating of Sunday’s match. Pat opened his big gob, let it be noted, before the CCCC met to consider who might face what sanctions arising from Sunday and, in doing so, confirmed yet again why the world is a far, far better place now that he’s no longer got anything to do with the reffing side of things.
Well, Pat’s little joke about the good people of Ballymun hasn’t gone down too well locally – as this piece in today’s Indo confirms – and he seems to be digging a nice hole for himself on the issue. When it was put to him that he should apologise, his response was that “I’m just quoting what someone said to me, so I didn’t actually instigate that comment.” Nah, that line doesn’t work for me. I think he should have stuck with his Jonny Cooper approach and claimed not to be the type of person who would say that. The tool.
Another man who has been trying to explain himself out of a corner is ex-Dublin player Ciaran Whelan. He was on Newstalk’s Off the Ball show last night, defending his analysis on The Sunday Game, catching a fair bit of flak from the OTB lads in the process. While Whelan did, like that gobdaw McEnaney, claim that Cooper’s awful foul “wasn’t in his nature”, he did in fairness say that the Na Fianna man should have been red-carded for it. He was also honest enough to admit that pundits are loyal to their own counties, which is transparently the case though you’d never get the likes of Spillane to admit it. I don’t really think Whelan has any case to answer here.
Talking of having to explain oneself, Diarmuid Connolly’s appeal hearing will, according to this report, be heard tomorrow night. With the match taking place on Saturday, it’s not ideal from Dublin’s point of view that the hearing is taking place so late in the week but, as we know from last year, that’s the way the process operates.
There are plenty of people out there with opinions on Sunday’s match and tactics and what-not, such as Darragh Ó Sé in the Irish Times, Mike Quirke in the Irish Examiner, Colm Parkinson in the Irish Independent, Kevin McStay in the Herald and Danny Hughes in the Irish News. I don’t have time to sift through all of these but from a quick scan they’re all worth a look, I reckon.
Finally, for now, there’s a poll running over on the Club ’51 site on the ten greatest #mayogaa All-Ireland semi-final moments. If you want to cast a vote on this, it’s here.
Show your support for the lads ahead of the replay: go to the Mayo GAA website (here) and click ‘Play Now’ to contribute to the cause via the Mayo GAA Players Training and Welfare Fund Lotto.
Whelan’s Sunday game analysis was poor (putting in mildly) but credit for acknowledging that pundits are biased towards their counties. I think RTE would serve it’s audience better by putting in independent pundits. In fairness to Whelan and McStay, they both knew anything they say could influence events during the week and with the game going to a replay, they were in an in-envious position.
Darragh OShea selects AOS for criticism outta everything in the match.unbelievable.
WJ, Kevin McStay references in his article the prospect of D Connolly being cleared to play primarily because Kevin Keane got off for striking. I have a big problem with this issue as a whole as 1. Kevin Keane should have been suspended 100% and 2. it surely cannot stand up that Connolly gets off because of some other disciplinary issue involving another player.
I take a very dim view of illegally striking out at a player under all circumstances, no matter what provication happens. When I played years ago I used to be targeted a lot from the opposition, pulled, dragged, hit, called everything under the sun (cause of me stopping playing actually). No matter what there was never any striking out on my behalf. Striking is not manly, its imo the lowest of the low and if you do it, you suffer the consequences. I’ve no doubt Lee Keegan is tough to play against and could have been black carded for blocking a run but you cannot simply take the law into your own hands and get away with it.
@Paul
I’d agree with you – the main blame lies with RTE. There are still lads Whelan played with on that dublin team so its only natural he is going to be biased. Eamon O Hara seems to be the only one willing to stick it in to his own county – but not sure that comes from entirely pure motives either!
Whelan was very critical of the ref in the Fermanagh game as well saying the ref gave fermanagh a lot because they are a weak county – and he was particularly critical of the goal given for the quinlan ‘push’ – Des Cahill suggested maybe the ball was over the line before the shove and Whelan nearly went down his throat – personally i’m not so sure cahill didn’t have a point. McStay is slightly less biased because I think he is older and hasn’t lived in teh county for a long time but there is no way just because you are an analyst that you are not still a a supporter….that is why refs from their own county don’t ref games…..so agree RTE shoulder a lot of the blame
Rumour floating around (on GAA Board) that O Carroll received no stitches at all. Wonder what Charlie Redmond will have to say about that if its true
Darragh has jumped the shark imo , a couple of enjoyable anecdotes but his analysis is not too well thought out , McQuillan got 99% right ? sure he did.
There’s been lots of stuff floating around on gaaboard since Sunday, most of it bile and deluded nonsense from Dublin lads who really should know better. Charlie Redmond is a hopeless case altogether, if that audio was typical of how his brain operates.
On other news Kevin Mc looks home and hosed as the next Rossie Manager…….this depresses me greatly for some reason. Is it because I think he will be successful? Perhaps
Didn’t Charlie Redmond once get sent off in Croke Park and shortly after, he crept back on to the field and resumed playing? I think it was a Leinster final v Meath sometime late 80s early 90s. Or am i thinking of some other clown?
Yeah that Pat McEnaney is some flower alright. A rare tulip. Cant he just go away.
A little light relief to ease the tension –
https://youtu.be/8dsiivrBXsE
Hope he has a ticket for Sat!
Was it the AI final against Tyrone in 95?
I don’t think he left the field at all in the first place. No physical red cards in that time
PS I’d give a severe warning to anyone looking to buy tickets outside the ground saturday. Tickets.ie sent out a load of duplicate tickets in the post, so be very wary of who you’re buying from, particularly if gates have already opened
Sorry should have added there’s a translation on Balls.ie. and he obviously doesn’t like Philly
I dont know why we are so worried about what other people say about us. We have no right to worry about these things. Do our own thing and get on with it. I dont give a damn what Darragh O Shea or Charlie Redmond think or write. I only care about my club and county and their supporters. Fxxx the lot of them we will persevere.
Ciaran. You are correct. It was the 1995 final v Tyrone. The ref noticed he was still on the field 8 minutes after sending him off and so sent him off again.
Seriously who gives a f*** who the nest roscommon manager is ??
I am very worried about mc inanes attitude and what influence he has on the refs. The man is obviously completely out of touch with reality and common sense.
Dílis that video is class haha 😀
Brilliant!!
Great video Dilis. Connolly can be clearly seen striking Keegan.
That video was gas! Couldn’t understand a word, but I got the general gist!
We shouldn’t care what other people say and I don’t, but O’Shea’s analysis can be spot on – sometimes. Today was not one of those times; in fact there was no analysis.
Sounds like he was on the piss, had nothing to say, so why not lump a load of stuff about how hard a time refs have. This after an All Ireland semi.
On the RTE SG panel, crazy to have two county men trotting out the party line. Completely undermines credibility, even though McStay and Whelan are generally good. Generally good, but not for huge match with their counties involved and a replay due.
Dillis that is lovely piece in truth,, when I first heard it I just thought it was a mad mayo fan with a belly ful of porter,, I was thinking God I’d hate to be sitting beside him after paying good money for a ticket. Half way through I realised he was Italian and started again.
Very special when someone comes to our shores and settles in a community with all the expected insecurities that come with such a move and decision. The GAA is the fabric of our society and its ability to marry culture, colour, creed and nationality is vibrantly reflected in this vivid enthusiasm for their adopted county (and probably club),, there will probably be an eoli at the end of some Great Mayo forwards name in he next few years and how great is that,, it’s Aidan O Sheaoli who is about to lift the Sam McGuire ,, Happy days