GAA officials blast RTÉ over Keane coverage

WESTMEATH GAA officials have blasted RTÉ for its blanket coverage of the Roy Keane controversy before the World Cup soccer finals.

County secretary Paddy Collins doesn’t name Keane in his report for next weekend’s convention, though’s it’s clear who he is referring to.

Collins, the former referee, takes the station to task for ‘wasting so much time’ on the antics of a player he describes as ‘seemingly arrogant and self-centred.’

“Has any national tv or radio service ever before wasted so much time and resources on the antics of an overpaid and seemingly arrogant and self-centred footballer as happened this summer, with the national broadcaster,’’ he says in his annual report to Sunday’s convention.

“Those of us licence holders, with a less than all-consuming interest in Association Football, were shocked to find that our radio programmes - in particular between 8 am and 2.45 pm - were being used ad nauseum to keep those interested, informed of infantile behaviour. “When one thinks about disgust and tedium, the memories of a prime-time tv interview - conducted by a respected commentator on political affairs, with the player himself - still act as a powerful emetic.’’

Mr Collins qualifies his remarks by praising RTÉ for their ‘superb coverage’ of Gaelic games over the course of the year. And, he also includes TG4 in saying that the broadcasters are deserving of ‘their sincere thanks.’

However, Mr Collins expresses concern over the increasing level of television coverage of inter-county games, pointing out that while it has been welcomed by viewers, it has been having a negative effect on attendances at local championship games.

“For many people from the months of May to September, the prospect of armchair viewing of hurling and football at the highest level is too tempting a prospect. As a result, most counties are now forced to play their important fixtures at times outside the prime 2 pm to 6 pm slot on Sundays.

He adds that things were made more difficult when on two occasions in the summer a third game was added to the schedule. “It was difficult to see a justification for such an intrusion into the limited time available to counties.’’

Mr Collins believes that the GAA should tighten its rules in an attempt to stop people from resorting to legal action in challenging decisions. He suggests that the majority of the membership of the Association was ‘alarmed and appalled’ at the manner in which disciplinary affairs became the subject for debate and adjudication in the Courts this year.

“It is obviously wishful thinking to expect that the Association, in the immediate aftermath of these cases, could take disciplinary action against those involved for infringing our rules. But, we must surely examine ways in which we can ensure that such blatant disregard for our rules is punished in a way that leaves little room for visits to the legal arena,’’ he writes.