Angry Fans
DAVID BILLINGS, the Dublin selector, stated in a radio interview after the game that he was very proud of the way the Dublin players conduct themselves. They were once again seen taunting the opposition (as they had done against Laois). While the referee may not see everything, the umpires and linesmen see but choose to opt out of reporting incidents to the referee. This behaviour has brought the game to a new low.
THE Dubs taunted … and lost. Kerry kept their cool and won. Simple, really. Taunting wastes time, energy and focus. This is something Dave Billings might usefully study in Sports Psychology 101 in UCD, his current place of employment.
HAVING HEARD only a radio commentary on the internet of the Dublin vs. Kerry game, the impression is of a referee Mr. Bannon who left a lot to be desired in his handling of the game and in some of the decisions made. I ask: when are the GAA authorities who decide the choice of match referee going to cop on? I have asked this same question for some years now but after this display by the Man in the Middle, I feel it is time publicly to ask this same question.
AS A KERRYMAN, I like to think we are a very rational county when it comes to analysing football. We’re generally gracious in defeat and our first point of inspection is the performance of the team and management and not that of the referee. However, that being said, I can’t help but feel there was some kind of conspiracy at play to ensure the Dubs progressed to the final at our expense.The referee was scandalous. Totally biased towards the boys in blue. Seasoned experts seem to accept this including your own columnist Niall Cahalane, and he is by no stretch of the imagination a Kingdom lover!
With Dublin chasing the game from six points down and victory looking beyond their grasp Bannon activated Plan B: The Draw. I know it’s a GAA cliché, but I certainly believe we beat sixteen men in Croke Park. Kerry spoiled the party and derailed the hype-fuelled bandwagon (supported by certain elements inside the GAA who believe that a Dublin All Ireland victory is good for the game). Am I a crazed nut or is there some truth to what I say?
GAA refs need to be more alert. In the Kerry and Dublin Match Marc O Sé got two yellow cards and still went on to play the full match! And again not a word from these TV experts
MY initial impression was that John Bannon flashed the Yellow Card far too much. However, initial impressions and distance from the game may be misleading. On the ‘Sunday Game’, their experts – Messrs Davis, Curran and O Cinnéide – all reviewed the entire game on video. Their verdict? They couldn’t fault the ref on a single ‘Yellow’ and could only quibble over one or two decisions at most. By the way, gaa fan, nobody else seems to have spotted Marc’s second ‘Yellow’. But, if you’re right ….
DUBLIN got twenty-nine frees while Kerry got about half that number sixteen. You could claim referee bias or just concede the numbers reflect how Kerry decided to ‘play’ Dublin. When Noel O'Leary hit Graham Geraghty, the ‘Examiner’ and RTE were delighted to try him by media. O Sé, injured hip, unable to play on, threw a player out on his face and not a word from anyone. What does this man have to do to be shown up?
I’M not so sure the ‘Examiner’ was out for a ‘trial by media’ for Noel. Quite the opposite. Here on ‘Angry Fans’ we said to the Meath fans: ‘Let’s wish Noel and Cork all the best in the final and not start stirring things off the field.’ However, your description of O’Sé’s alleged foul even after he was injured maybe gives us a better insight into the determination and inspiration he brings to Kerry!
I WAS VERY surprised to read a few letters moaning about the lack of a band at the Cork vs. Meath match. I think it was absolutely fantastic, and the band should be removed from all matches. Maybe keep them for All-Ireland finals. There's a great tradition in the GAA of doing things just because they are, well, traditions. Both teams lining up and walking around the pitch behind a marching band before a quarter-final, or whatever, in a less than half-full stadium is just a bizarre sight. Also the children's matches at half-time were far more worthwhile, and surely more beneficial, than having a band parading around.
I AGREe. Too many GAA top brass are obsessed with bands of all varieties and what they call ‘presentation’ before big matches. Personally, I’d scrap all pre-match parades. They are just sooooo ‘retro’. OK, maybe a band to play ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ on All Ireland Day. Nothing more. No other tunes. On the other hand, the children’s games are an investment in the future and a reward for hardworking mentors and should get a higher profile.
AS A MEATH SUPPORTER, I wish Cork well in the All Ireland final. Cork put over some well-taken points but they overdo the hand passing. Is there any need for this style of play considering they have so many big men? It was a great pity Cork's win was marred by Billy Morgan's childish action of taking a tape recorder from a reporter. Meath people should not be too disappointed as they have come a good way in the last few months under Colm Coyle and can be a force again next year, especially if they can 'find' three or four new players.
EVEN without finding three or four new players Meath will be a major force next year. Great players … great management team … great underage structure feeding through… Saint Pat’s College in Naaaaavan winning all round them … Sure, what more could you want?
THEY SAY YOU walk alone to an All Ireland. Not any more. If you have a system to help, it encourages teams to accept this advantage, no matter how unfair it appears to be or how loaded it is against putative champions. True, it makes for great matches and accumulated riches, but the end, like, for instance, the fall of Waterford, has been a prime example of the stupidity of the league system masquerading as a championship. Good luck to Limerick for being in a position to take advantage of what was on offer. It's not their fault that the league system was specifically designed to suit the losers.
Indeed, what a travesty. Waterford, arguably the best team in the country, will now have to sit out the final, which, by dint of their performances in the championship/league, gave them a privileged standing. Given what had transpired in the previous games, especially against Cork,Waterford performed like a tired swimmer asking to do almost the impossible against a fresh and ambitious Limerick squad. They couldn’t do it and why was plain for all to see.
The GAA may be laughing all the way to the bank, but will they pay a dear price for their folly? Maybe. The first and immediate casualty may well be Waterford who performed so magnificently throughout the year. Will some of their more mature stars decide to call it a day in the belief that the prized medal is beyond their reach, given the vexed system under which they have to perform?
AFR’S SHOUT:
NO ONE beat Waterford only themselves. And, of course, a bunch of great hearted and skilful Limerick hurlers. They may plead physical or mental tiredness, but Waterford on the field and on the line forgot most of the good things they had successfully applied all year. Wrong selections, poor and late substitutions, silly ‘pots’ at goal from tens of metres out while acknowledged poachers like Shanahan, Flynn and Mullane fumed inside.
WHAT THE ‘MEEDJA’ and others in the know said about Limerick hurlers: ‘Limerick are not a goal scoring team’ Jamesie O’Connor; ‘Without the Decies the championship would have been as miserable as the weather’ Eamon Sweeney (He must have been off in Lanzarote for the three Limerick v Tipp games.) ‘Are you sure this guy is playing?’ A leading bookies when I asked them what odds Donie Ryan to score the first goal against Waterford. Ta very much! 20/1 !
GOOD man, Seán. Great to hear of a bookie being stung. Will you be placing the same bet for Sunday’s final? I’d say you’d get better than 20/1 this time.
I THINK IT’S a disgrace that All Ireland hurling final tickets are for sale on a website like www.needaticket.ie at " 500 for the Davin Stand and even more for better seats. A while ago, the English Rugby Union cut the allocation of officials whose tickets ended up in wrong hands. In the GAA world, some questions must be asked. Where are these online tickets are originating from? Why doesn’t the GAA buy them up and trace their origin through the serial numbers? If appropriate, why not take action as the English RFU have done?
A GOOD suggestion and maybe one that Dermot Power, Peter McKenna and the other Croker ‘bods’ could act on instead of wringing their hands and making futile appeals to the poor fans. My own strong view is that they should cut out all the traditional theology about distribution through county boards and clubs and preserving allocations for various special groups. Keep back, say, around five hundred for special requirements and so on and then just sell the rest to the open market with a maximum purchase of four tickets allowed. At least that way, genuine fans would get a fair ‘crack’ at buying tickets.
to everyone this week whether we agreed with your comments or not. No hard feelings, now. We were just trying to see could we match John Bannon’s tally of thirteen in Croker. Not on. At a miserly ten, we’re still three short of the Longford man’s impressive total.
ANOTHER DIFFICULT call to make on our prize of a coveted AFR shirt for . It goes to Brendan, the very happy Corkman living in Meath. Our distinctive shirt and victory on the third Sunday in September should make him totally happy.
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