Cricketer hit for six over Thatcher tweet, but matter should rest there

IT’S easy enough to understand why Cricket Ireland is so upset with international player John Mooney’s comments about the death of Margaret Thatcher, despite his subsequent apology.

For those who missed it, Mooney took to twitter on Monday and wrote in relation to the passing of the former British prime minister that “I hope it was slow and painful”. Distasteful stuff indeed, if actually harmless.

I imagine though that Cricket Ireland, a 32 county body, has to be mindful of the political sensitivities of a southern player, who, because of his comments, might be presumed by Unionists to be nationalist, making comments like this about a dead British prime minister. As such, it must have felt that it had to be seen to act.