Angry fans
LAST YEAR dedicated Cork supporters were called on to attend a football championship match in Croke Park at 3.30pm on a Saturday, then get to Portlaoise for a minor hurling championship at 7.30pm before returning again to Croke Park on the Sunday for Cork’s hurling championship game. This year we’re saying enough is enough. We were the most regular of visitors to Croke Park over the last five years, spending millions on tickets, travel, accommodation, food and drink. The time has come for the GAA to reward their most generous of patrons by holding Cork’s football quarter final and hurling semi-final on the same day. Cork supporters are calling for the support of the players of both codes and the County Board to ensure this comes to pass.
Now we know what really fed the Celtic Tiger. It wasn’t those builders constructing empty houses and apartments or the cheap money the bankers dished out. It was all those loyal Cork fans spending millions on tickets, travel, accommodation and food and drink while crisscrossing the country.
THE ONLY WAY Clare’s second goal could have been allowed is if it touched a defender on the way in. I don’t think this happened. The Rule says: ‘A player on the team attacking a goal who is in possession of the ball may not score (i) by carrying the ball over his opponents’ goal-line, or (ii) with his hand(s).
Technically, I think it was against the Rules. However, it was only one of several questionable goalmouth decisions or ‘misses’ by Sunday’s officials in both games. The most blatant was Dickie Murphy’s failure to give Clare a penalty when Diarmuid O’Sullivan clearly held Niall Gilligan’s hurley as he battled towards goal.
CLARE COULD have won on Sunday but I think for the championship’s sake it was better that Cork came through. They will obviously give Kilkenny a decent game. The Cork v Kilkenny semi is the AllIreland Final. The lack of competitive games could count against the Cats.
Unquestionably, Kilkenny and Tipperary are the top seeds among the remaining four teams. However, anyone of the four semifinalists could win the All Ireland and no one would be surprised. A big Rebel Red Card for being too quick to jump to a conclusion on this one.
SUNDAY SAW a great clean sporting game between two good hurling counties. Cork’s subs saved the day but there wasn’t much left in the tank at the end. I’d settle with beating Kilkenny at this stage and Tipp or Waterford can borrow the Liam McCarthy for the year. We are not greedy!
So you reckon stopping the Cats’ attempt at three-in-a-row might be sweeter than even winning Liam? As the Good Book says (not in John 3-7 by the way) ‘Greater love hath no fan but that he offers up an All Ireland to his neighbours once he has beaten the Cats’.
THURLES WAS won pure and simple on the bench. Cork have the subs to bring on and Clare don’t. People will blame the wides Clare had, but if you don't have a go you can’t score. Cork’s strength in depth meant they even had fifteen subs on standby to Clare's ten. That statistic on its own speaks volumes.
It was won on the sideline but more so in Gerald McCarthy’s hurling brain than on the subs’ bench. I’m still waiting for all those Cork fans who were baying for his head a couple of weeks ago to surface again.
IF ANYONE has any doubt that hurling is one of the finest field sports in the world then all they have to do is look back to Thurles these past two week ends. Eight teams giving their all for the honour of their beloved counties. Where in the world would you get the thrills, excitement and drama we saw in this wonderful stadium on two different days and the great sportsmanship shown on the field of play by all sides? Not forgetting the wonderful banter and craic among the supporters up in the stands and on the terraces. Just magic. The Blood and Bandage and the Blue Shirts are on the march!
Older fans with long memories will be a bit concerned to hear that the Blue Shirts are back marching in Waterford. Apparently, they caused quite a bit of bother there the last time round.
I AM THIRTY three years old and I love Limerick. I was born and reared here. Is it just possible I and my peers may never witness a senior All Ireland victory?
Don’t despair. Look at it this way. You could’ve been a Clare fan during the eighty one years from 1914 to 1995 or a Waterford fan for the past fifty one years. You’ll hardly have to wait as long as either of them.
EVEN AS A Wexford man I would not have begrudged Waterford winning an All Ireland but I have to say that on Sunday that all changed a bit. They really need to cut out all this nonsense they are going on with. There were Waterford people around me cringing and roaring at them to just get on with hurling. They remind me a bit of the Dubs over the last few years and maybe they should take a leaf out of their book this year by just getting on with the game.
I for one don’t like to see all this badge kissing and I wish the Déise lads would cut it down a bit. But I couldn’t see anything wrong with Eoin Kelly celebrating his goal. I would do the same if I hit a rasper like that just before half time. Too many people focus on Waterford’s celebrations as if no one else does it. Joe Canning was another example last week and what about Neil Ronan on Sunday and his winning point or Fraggy celebrating after his goal for Cork? At the end of the day, they all celebrate but in different ways.
Hard to draw the line on this one. Players’ legitimate exuberance is one thing. But some of the Waterford lads need to realise it’s beginning to grate a little, not least on their own supporters. Cool, calm and focused is the way to go in any sport, including hurling. Just like Cork. Or Kilkenny.
AS A KILDAREMAN I’m disgusted with the national media and their failure to mention the wonderful sideline ball that John Doyle kicked last Saturday evening in Limerick. Maurice Fitzgerald of Kerry kicked a similar point against Dublin in Thurles several years ago, which rightly is still talked about. Yet John Doyle kicks one quite similar and it wasn't even mentioned in any of the match reports I read. One wonders if Alan Brogan, Colm Cooper or Padraig Joyce had kicked a point in this manner would it have failed to merit a mention? I think not. A bit of credit where it is deserved please!
A fair point. Both from yourself and John Doyle. Maurice’s score lives on, though, because it was a high pressure kick with Dublin’s Manager Tommy Carr standing beside him shouting ‘advice’.
ABOUT THE so-called overcrowding at GAA matches, I was at the recent Cork v Galway match in Thurles and in my seat in the Old Stand at 4.35. Looking across at the New Stand where the crowd spilled over, there were plenty of empty seats at either end. On ‘non ticket’ match days stewards should usher people into the most central seats available. By letting people sit where they like, it gives the impression that the place is full when, in reality, there are plenty of empty seats. Paid and trained stewards is the only answer.
Training stewards seems like a good idea and the GAA health and safety officers should look into this. Paying them I’m not so sure about. Remember the heavy guys in the black suits and sunglasses who were around in the early days of the new Croke Park? They contributed to referee Jimmy Cooney’s problems back in the Clare v Offaly semi-final of ’98 when they ushered him from the field and no GAA official could get near him to correct his ‘five minutes’ error.
THE RECENT comments by Gerald McCarthy and Peter McKenna concerning Semple Stadium and Croke Park illustrate the growing chasm between the plain people of the GAA and the Corporate Park mentality. About Thurles, Gerald McCarthy said ‘the main thing is the quality of the pitch, which is very good’; ‘the whole atmosphere of the place is set up for hurling’; ‘it’s the most central venue for hurling’. Meanwhile, Peter McKenna sees the fixing of matches for Thurles as a ‘window of opportunity’ to improve the Croke Park pitch not for the forthcoming AllIreland series or anything like that but ‘for the autumn’. This is the second time this year that the pitch has been closed off to GAA players. Is it not well past time for the rest of the hurling championship to be moved to Thurles and leave Mr McKenna in peace to ’gently renovate’ the Croke Park pitch and have it just right for the All Blacks and Argentina?
As in 1984, maybe this is something the GAA should consider next year to mark the 125th anniversary of its foundation, given the seminal role of Thurles in those events? Long term, however, when you get to the All Ireland semi finals and final you need Croker’s extra seating capacity. And many hurling people would be reluctant to permanently cede Croke Park to football when they’ve helped to fund it.
COULD IT NOT be made compulsory that if there is a score, the umpire involved should raise his arm while making his way to the flag. Don't keep us wondering. I was at a big match recently and it bugged me that each time a ball went over the bar, a particular umpire seemed to take time to go to the chipper, keeping us on tenterhooks as to what he was going to do, before reaching for the flag or waving wide.
Some umpires are a bit like the deceased American President, Gerald Ford. It was said that he found it difficult to walk and chew gum at the same time. Waving their hand while reaching for the flag might be beyond some of our more elderly umpires. Far more important is to get umpires with good, tested eyesight who keep the referee up to speed. Both high octane games in Thurles on Sunday were marred by some poor umpiring and refereeing about vital scores and goalmouth incidents.
WHAT A talent Joe Cannning is. What a man also! He didn’t let his disappointment stop him from signing autographs for the youngsters. A real gent
I agree.
and His ‘n Her GAA t-shirts from the gang at Puckout.com go to Rebel O’Reilly for his eloquent plea on behalf of poor, neglected Cork fans. Hopefully, he’ll wear his t-shirt while planning how to get to three fixtures in one weekend.
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