Counihan claims media ‘sensationalising’ disciplinary issues
In a programme looking back on his team’s season of glory to be broadcast on TV3 tonight, Counihan claims the press exploited incidents such as the infamous spat involving Cork’s Eoin Cadogan and Kerry’s Paul Galvin in June’s Munster SFC semi-final replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
In doing so, he feels the media put pressure on the GAA’s Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) who in Galvin’s case asked referee Pat McEnaney to review the matter. “These things happen on the field,” said the Aghada man. “There are rules and regulations there.
“There are people to implement those. They’ll be questioned; I think now they’re being questioned a lot more publicly. I’m not sure that’s all good. I think the media drove a lot of this.”
And he added: “It’s clear to me what happened and what occurred but I think there are rules and regulations there.
“Let them (the rules and regulations) be enforced and, that’s best where that’s left.”
Galvin was subsequently suspended for eight weeks following the altercation in which he appeared to stick his finger in Cadogan’s mouth.
The 2009 footballer of the year did not appeal the CCCC’s decision and ultimately missed out on the remainder of Kerry’s season.
But Counihan argues the matter would have been dealt with a lot quicker and more satisfactorily had various media outlets not pushed to make a bigger deal of the incident.
“I think that if it was back 20 years ago people would have dealt with it and the issue would have been buried and moved on,” said Counihan. “Now I think media forces like to keep these things burning.” Presented by TV3’s Gaelic games correspondent Kieran McSweeney, Rebel Yell features interviews with Counihan and Cork’s victorious captain Graham Canty.
And after losing two All-Ireland finals in the space of three years, Counihan admits he did wonder whether some of the squad’s longest serving members such as Canty and Anthony Lynch would ever taste All-Ireland success before September’s triumph over Down.
“There were many days when it looked like these lads would never get their medal but, fortunately enough, The Man Above was looking down on us and we got over the line this time.”
Counihan also ponders over the capriciousness of the game and how Cork football went from feast to famine.
“At the time we’d been in six All Irelands between the period of 87 and 93 (if you included the replay against Meath) and the idea that having won the back-to-backs then to say that we’d be 20 years down the road just goes to show how funny sport can be.”
* Rebel Yell: ‘Cork’s Footballers End 20 Years of Hurt’ airs on TV3 tonight at 11.05pm
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