Ruby infuriated by dark side of GAA

He may be one of the most successful sportsmen this country has produced but Ruby Walsh is not a fan of all sports and says he hates “off-the-ball stuff” in GAA.

Yesterday Walsh spoke of his love for rugby and his respect for Munster and Ireland star Ronan O’Gara.

However there are aspects of Gaelic football that Walsh is not a fan of.

“As a kid I played them all. I much preferred playing rugby. I wasn’t overly big, I was light and I found rugby easier to play,” Walsh said. “I always hated — and I still hate — the off-the-ball stuff in the GAA. I hate it. I can never understand it.”

Referring to an incident in a recent Dublin v Kerry clash where Eamon Fennell was sent off after an altercation with Bryan Sheehan, Walsh added: “I consider the Dublin guy that hit the Kerry lad three weeks ago a chicken... he’s gutless. If you’re going to hit him stand and look him in the eye. That’s what I don’t like about Gaelic football.”