Match day plans to be reviewed
Fitzgerald said his son was ‘held back’ by an official as the team entered the ground and that his side were not notified when to return to the field for the second half.
Fitzgerald slammed: “My little fella is years going to games and I am not happy with what happened before the game. He was held back and there was an arm put around him not letting him in. What happened wasn’t right and the Munster Council should take a look at themselves. We play this game because we love it – they should think rather than having these stupid f*****g regulations.”
He said of the half-time fiasco: “We were going out when the other team was going back in. We got no knock on the dressing room.”
Provincial Council PRO Jim Forbes has vowed to ‘resolve the issue’ and plans to speak with concerned parties. “This is something that we have to look at as a matter or urgency,” he said.
“I will discuss it with people at the game, who were on the entry gates and near the dressing room at half-time. I’m not doubting anybody at this moment. Until I get the full facts I will not come down on one side.
“I hope to put the whole episode to bed and let everyone to concentrate on Saturday evening’s replay.
“My plan is to get the entire thing done and dusted as quickly as possible.”
Forbes praised the Waterford manager for the manner in which he broached the subject with him.
“I did not realise there was any problem with Davy Fitzgerald until after the match. After he completed a number of media interviews he asked for a quiet word. We had a very amicable discussion. He reported the problems he encountered. I said I would have to get the other side of things.”
Déise officials last night remained tight lipped on the matter. Waterford chairman Pat Flynn said: “we have nothing to say at the moment”.
However, former Offaly All-Ireland hurling winner Daithi Regan last night slammed Fitzgerald’s comments while speaking on Newstalk’s Off the Ball.
“I thought Davy gave a disgraceful interview (after the match),” Regan said. “At the end of the day the place for a child is in the stands. To me, he sounds like a man under unbelievable pressure who’s trying to disguise his own team’s performance.”
Regan also questioned the team selection.
“He changed the team a lot and I feel very sorry for Ken McGrath who is one of the greatest centre-backs of recent times and yet he gets named at centre-forward.”
The Waterford management have come out in support of their players following criticism by pundits on The Sunday Game . Michael Duignan and Peter Finnerty were critical of the displays of Waterford players John Mullane and Eoin Kelly , but last night Waterford selector Peter Queally backed his men.
Meanwhile, Munster Council chiefs are to review the delayed start to Saturday’s provincial senior football championship replay between Kerry and Cork.
The game was due to throw in at 5pm but was put back as thousands of fans were stranded outside unable to gain access to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The game threw in at 5.20.
Forbes said there were a number of factors. “My opinion is there is no suitable time for a championship game on a Saturday. It is a problem for all sporting organisations. Take last Saturday, you had the Cork Midsummer Festival, you had the regular Saturday shopping not just in Cork but in all the towns en route to the match. All of that led to traffic delays and problems parking. I know some people parked in Mahon Point and walked to Páirc Uí Chaoimh – that is some walk. We have it on record that people came to the ticket kiosk at 5.25pm trying to gain access.”
Forbes accepted that the lack of a curtain-raiser on Saturday didn’t help the situation but hinted that more and more GAA fans are coming to the grounds late.
Forbes is hopeful there will be no repeat of the crowd chaos at the SHC semi-final replay between Limerick and Waterford on Saturday evening (5pm).
“The most important message I want to get out about the replay on Saturday is that tickets will be available for both stands in Thurles. We will have 30 ticket booths in operation there for the game while entry to the Semple Stadium terraces will be strictly cash only. Tickets for both the matches at the weekend – the replay and the semi-final between Tipperary and Clare – will be available from county boards and the Munster Council. Our message is to come as early as possible on Saturday for the replay. And the same advice applies on Sunday.”
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