Angry fans
WEXFORD came out and hurled for ten minutes against Kilkenny on Sunday. After that they decided that a quarter-final place was already assured and proceeded to be the fodder in a training match for the Cats. Now here's my question. Is there anybody who genuinely believes thatWexford deserve to be in a quarter-final? They will now avoid Kilkenny while teams like Cork, ClareTipp and Galway will have to rely on the luck of the draw to avoid them. Is there not a valid argument for the two third placed teams in each qualifier group playing off and the winners meetingWexford to decide the last place in the quarter finals?
The Leinster senior hurling championship is now about as useful as a fur coat in a nudist colony. Just like the Connacht one used to be. But, scrapping Munster and going ‘round robin’ from the start is not the solution. Munster is special and hurling would be impoverished without it. Instead, Galway and Antrim should be forced – at the point of a hurley, if necessary – to join a Greater Leinster championship. I think most Galway people are ready to take that step now.
ONE QUESTION for Wexford. Please decide what you are, a hurling or a football county because you're useless at both at the moment and relying on the backdoor system to fake adequacy is beneath you. For God’s sake, where's your pride?
THE DUAL issue is a live one In Wexford. Much as many of us would like, we can’t sideline football. It’s strong inWexford and its proponents are organising themselves too. I fear that this dual dream will be the undoing of us as it certainly looks like all we are achieving is being mediocre at both codes. I wish we in Wexford could line up on the hurling side but we've a powerful Fifth Column within the county.
Many counties successfully combine a ‘dual’ tradition, sometimes decided on geographical lines. In recent years, counties that set up a false contradiction between hurling and football, forcing intercounty players to choose between them, have not prospered in either code. Limerick and Dublin come to mind. If players are talented enough, and personally willing, they should be encouraged to play both codes at the highest possible level. Yellow Cards to both of you for having so little faith in our players.
THE GAME in Killarney was an excellent affair with Kerry just about deserving their victory with that small bit more class upfront. But I believe they are lacking some class as sportsmen. How many times did Kerry players go down clearly not injured after a Cork score or after a good Cork play? People may say it’s cute or smart for them to do so, but to see some of their big-name players pull stunts like that is very disappointing. Both are brilliant players who don’t need to do this and haven’t really done it until the recent past, which makes me believe that either this or the last management has promoted this kind of gamesmanship. It’s disappointing because even as a Corkman I really admire the way the Kerry lads play ball. They are physical and fit, but they play football the way it should be played, and if we are to be truthful every team is always trying to copy the way they play, or else is trying some convoluted way of stopping them. This shows how highly everyone thinks of them. Good to see the big Cork crowd. What I wouldn’t give for an All- Ireland final against them.
A GALLANT effort from a Cork footballing side capable of causing a stir in the All Ireland series. The ref may have made a huge mistake by not giving the penalty but these things happen. Cork will be stronger for it. A lot of positives to be taken from the game. Cussen, McCarthy and Miskella gave huge efforts.
I’m amazed at how relaxed Cork football fans are after not getting a justifiable call for that last minute penalty. Are they are a milder bunch than the Rebel hurling fans? After all, if scored, the penalty would have given Cork a one point win, the Munster crown and endless bragging rights. Strange.They must know something the rest of us have missed.
I FEEL genuinely sorry for the Kilkenny lads who gave up their Saturday (whether they were meant to be working or not) and lined out against Antrim in football, only to be beaten on a score line of 3-32 to 1-0. I wouldn't say the poor unfortunates will be in any great hurry to pull on the black and amber jersey for the footballers again, but then again they are a proud GAA county and hopefully things can only get a lot better for them in the future. As for Antrim they are probably feeling quite proud of the great 'achievement' at the moment, but did they really have to make such a show of their opposition and what does it prove in the long run for them?
KILKENNY’S score line against Antrim in football is the inevitable result of the disgraceful manner in which the Kilkenny County Board and most of the county's clubs treat football and those in the county who are interested in playing the game.All credit to the players who lined out and who know better than anyone the contempt with which they are treated by their own County Board. Have the powers that be in Kilkenny got any shame?!
Antrim footballers hockey Kilkenny… big deal! This from a crowd who went seventeen years without a championship win until recently. The neglect of football in Uactharán Nickey’s native county is a GAA scandal. There is no excuse for it. A couple of other counties are not much better. The GAA is about more than just being hugely successful in your selected code at inter-county level. In hurling, of course, Kilkenny are well able to dish it out when it suits them. They didn’t show much mercy toWestmeath in the first round in Leinster back in 1982 when they whacked in 7-31 nor against their neighbours Carlow in the League that year when they racked up 8-20. And I seem to recall a challenge match to open a pitch somewhere when they beat Antrim by fifty-five points! Maybe it’s time for a new competition where counties play each other in both hurling and football and the winners are decided by the aggregate score?
IT’S TRUE that the Leinster Championship is in a bad state at the moment. It will probably remain as bad until all of those Dublin underage players mature in a few year’s time and start offering serious opposition to the Cats at senior level. Dublin is now bearing the fruit of running development squads for the kids and having competitions like Cumann na mBunscoil over the past decade or so.The likes ofWexford have only got similar programmes up and running in the past few years, so we are playing catch up with Dublin. Hopefully,Wexford will start reaping the benefits of these schemes over the next few years in the same way as Dublin are now.
Yes, fair play to the Dubs. Unlike some other counties we could name, they took their hurling hidings, didn’t complain and instead did lots of hard development work at club level. Now, they’re reaping the benefits at Minor and Under 21 and soon – we hope – at Senior level too.
THE GAA is not going to get anywhere unless it pays more attention to the recruitment of referees.We need to see excounty players being encouraged to take up the whistle (likeAlan Rolland in rugby). An allowance or grant should be paid to all new referees. Also -unlike rugby- there is no respect for the referee at all levels in the Association. For example, all GAA Fans know that if a county player is sent off in a club game it’s quick into the referee's room to see can the straight red be changed into two yellows.This must stop.Nickey if are you going to be remembered as GAA President let it be as President who improved the ethos regarding discipline...That’s your challenge!
AFR’S SHOUT
For the moment, let’s give Uachtarán Nickey the benefit of the doubt. He’s trying to pull GAA discipline kicking and screaming into the 21st century. His problem is how to eliminate a 120 year long tradition of dodging and diving and nods and winks on this issue.
I WANT to vent my frustration at whoever was responsible for changing the seating at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A couple of years back the seats were changed in the uncovered stand, leaving very little legroom and forcing fans to endure severe discomfort, pain and crippling as a result of not being able to sit properly while watching games. Despite being inundated with complaints, what did the bright sparks do last year? They did the exact same thing to the seats in the covered stand. The seating in both stands is so bad now, that fans would have more comfort standing in the terraces in the midst of a shower of hailstones! Páirc Uí Caoimh should be denied any big games until this mess is sorted out.
It seems a bit unfair to blame Frank Murphy and the Cork county board for the results of the current outbreak of obesity among GAA fans. Could fans not go on a bit of a diet before attending big games on De Banks? A little Tick in the Book for that comment, bhoy!
