John Fogarty: A Covid All-Ireland will still be an All-Ireland in the history books
TAKING THE RUFF WITH THE SMOOTH: Tipperary star Brendan Maher, with his pointer dog Oscar, at his home in Borrisoleigh for the launch Bord Gáis Energy’s sponsorship of the 2020 All-Ireland SHC. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
1890. Cork (Aghabullogue) are trailing Wexford (Castlebridge) by a goal at half-time when, with the referee’s permission, they walk off due to the rough play of their opponents. The county’s first All-Ireland senior hurling success is later given to them and forms the first part of the first double that is eventually completed almost two years later.
1891. Played in 1892, Cork, represented by champions Clondrohid, finish the game ahead of Dublin (Young Irelands) only for the referee to disallow one of their goals hours after the game. Clondrohid appeal the decision and a replay is granted but never takes place and Dublin remain champions, their first All-Ireland SFC.
1893. Held in March 1893, players from Dublin (Faughs-Davitts) walk off the field in the ‘92 hurling final after a controversial goal was awarded to Cork (Redmonds). The game was abandoned but as Dublin players had left the field Cork were crowned All-Ireland winners for the second time.
1894. Wexford (Young Irelands) are leading Cork (Dromtariffe) in the rearranged 1893 SFC final when a pitch invasion interrupts the game and players are injured. An attempt to restart the game with substitutes fails as Cork insist they can’t play on. Wexford are awarded their first All-Ireland.
1895. Despite Cork (Nil Desperandum) leading the refixed 1894 All-Ireland SFC final replay at the time, Dublin (Young Irelands) are handed the title because of alleged attacks on their players by Cork supporters and the Dubs refuse to play on. Although both claim victory and the Cork men receive winning medals from their board, it goes down as Dublin’s third All-Ireland SFC success.
1901. Tipperary, who had a walkover against Limerick along the way, are leading Wexford by such a margin (two goals and eight points) in the rescheduled 1899 SHC final that the referee decides to bring the game to a premature halt. It is the Premier County’s fifth triumph.
1907. Played two years later, the 1905 All-Ireland SHC final between Cork and Kilkenny has to be replayed because an objection is raised about the Cork goalkeeper Daniel McCarthy being a British army reserve. Losers in the first game, the Cats win the second and their second All-Ireland.
1910. The GAA chose to award Louth the All-Ireland SFC title as a result of Kerry’s refusal to play in protest at their treatment at the hands of the Great Southern and Western Railway. Kerry had beaten Louth in the previous year’s final. Dublin had looked for Kerry to be expelled from the Association for five years. It remains the first of Louth’s three All-Irelands.
1912. Represented by Tullaroan, Kilkenny are given a walkover in the 1911 All-Ireland SHC final because Limerick (Castleconnell) wouldn’t play anywhere other than Cork. It’s number five of the Cats’ 33 All-Irelands.
1922. It is not until this year that the 1920 All-Ireland championships can take place due to martial law in Munster and the heavy presence of the Black and Tans in the capital. Dublin seal their third All-Ireland SFC and Tipperary their fourth senior football title.
1923. Tipperary claim the 1922 Munster SHC final in August 1923 having received a bye from Waterford in the opening round. The Déise footballers also forfeit their first round game to Tipp as do Limerick’s footballers to Kerry in the Munster semi-final.
1923. Owing to the Civil War, the 1921 Munster SFC is not played, Tipperary given the honour of representing the province but they are unable to play in the All-Ireland semi-final and Mayo are handed a walkover.
1924. Eventually played in September, Kerry lose the 1923 final to Dublin having protested at playing it in June due to the incarceration of anti-Treaty figure Austin Stack. Limerick also refuse to play Galway at the scheduled time before they lose to them in September. It’s Galway’s first All-Ireland SHC title, Dublin’s 14th SFC crown.
1925. Galway’s first All-Ireland SFC success comes by way of default as the final is never played. The Connacht SFC is not finished in time and Mayo are nominated, beating Wexford in their All-Ireland semi-final. Kerry are victorious over Cavan in the other semi but both are disqualified for fielding illegal players. Mayo are deemed champions, only to then lose the Connacht final to Galway who the GAA then considered All-Ireland winners.
1941. Because of a foot and mouth outbreak, the Cork-Tipperary Munster semi-final is cancelled with the game being awarded to Cork who beat Limerick to become the province’s representatives. However, Tipperary later beat Cork to annex the Munster title. Dublin are anointed Leinster’s All-Ireland team because of the disease in Kilkenny. Cork win their 12th All-Ireland. Dublin are also Leinster’s football representatives although they later beat Carlow in the provincial decider.
2020/2021. Whatever year these All-Irelands finish, no matter who or who isn’t is involved, they constitute All-Irelands. By all means, stick asterisks beside them but before you do that, best review the roll of honour.
GAA in the time of Zoom
“I’m a real, real novice at this,” warned Peter Keane as he logged into a Microsoft Teams press event marking Championship launch last Friday.
You always get the impression with the Kerry manager that he isn’t as wet behind the ears as he tries to let on, and later in the group interview he was ribbing a journalist whose face was a few centimetres away from his camera — “You’re so close to that screen you’re nearly on top of me here!”
That being said, it wasn’t long after that when the Kerry flag perched behind Keane fell down just as he was discussing the Championship hanging by a thread and wishing he had a rapid testing kit available in his store in Killorglin.
The likes of Teams, Zoom, Hangouts, and Centrix were double-dutch to so many of us before the start of this year but the remote interview and meeting is here for the foreseeable future and perhaps beyond that, should managers believe it is more convenient to conduct such interviews on the platforms.
The Galway footballers were an exception to the rule yesterday when Pádraic Joyce conducted an in-person pre-league press event in the county’s training centre in Loughgeorge, albeit it was done outside and with social distancing maintained.
However, they are certain to be few and far between. Joyce’s opposite number this Sunday James Horan was due to sit for a remote group interview last week before doubts about games going ahead compelled Mayo to pull it.
Managers are being accessible but it will have ramifications for local freelance scribes whose proximity to the subject matter becomes less essential and the interface is discombobulating.
Then again, so much is these days.
A cold welcome for the yellow sliotar but it can last the winter
With HawkEye not available in Thurles this year, the GAA might be thankful for the luminous yellow sliotar that will be in play from the weekend after next.
It’s fair to say the initial reaction hasn’t been positive. Joe Canning wasn’t exactly glowing about it and referenced Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy’s tweet on Friday. Murphy posted: “Lovely… will need 500 hurls now to puck those rocks around.”
Murphy was highlighting previous experience, likely in the Super 11s in the US, but that was an experimental microchipped ball. The only difference between those going into play for the Championship and the usual sliotars will be the colour. It will be bright but not smart.
Cork have already received a batch of such balls from Cummins.
It’s fitting a Championship predominantly played under lights will be the debut for the yellow sliotar.
Complaints about hurling by artificial light have been plentiful in recent years, from ex-Kilkenny selector and national hurling development manager Martin Fogarty to Tipperary’s Noel McGrath to his former county manager Michael Ryan.
Part of the reason why Leinster were so keen to have their four senior championship matches in Croke Park is the strength and height of the lights. So high up, the chances of a ball being lost in the light are reduced. It’s not that those in the likes of MW Hire O’Moore Park or Netwatch Cullen Park are not of good quality but compared to those in GAA HQ, they are inferior.
Along with the cold and the give in the sod, floodlights are hallmarks of the winter Championship but the more visible yellow ball can endure.
Email: john.fogarty@examiner.ie
