Indomitable McGee gets his reward

As Eugene McGee wiped away a tear after Saturday’s black card vote, it all became clear: labour of love, as it was for him, it still had taken its toll on the Football Review Committee (FRC) chairman.

After being told by all and sundry that it would fail, the relief would have taken hold of him too and in the interviews he gave afterwards, his emotions continued to exhibit themselves above the surface.

Here was a man who had committed himself to clean up a game he treasured. Here was a man whose respect for the game supersedes the majority of the rest of us.

McGee can be often interpreted as a gruff character and some of his remarks would have been interpreted as caustic by some managers and counties.

Notwithstanding his heart being in the right place, his uncompromising and independently-minded character was exactly what GAA president Liam O’Neill wanted. He was an Elliot Ness, he couldn’t be touched.

The vested interests of players and managers became all too apparent on Twitter and after Sunday’s games.

The FRC were beyond reproach on that count. As McGee’s version of Jim Malone, Tony Scullion, said on Saturday: “I went out to play for the club and for that hour or 70 minutes it was us against them. I don’t feel that today, in here we are all us — it is as clear as daylight that our great game can get rid of that cynical play.”

Only Cork’s Eoin Cadogan, guilty of a pull-down foul on Donegal’s Michael Murphy last Saturday week which will next year merit a black card, showed some recognition of fault.

In a Twitter exchange with Paddy Bradley, the Derry man suggested his tackle on Murphy warranted every card going. Cadogan replied: “I couldn’t argue with you. Forwards will have to learn to tackle now tho(ugh).”

Over recent few months, there have been some incredibly inaccurate pop-shots taken at the FRC and journalists who have supported the measures to curb cynicism in Gaelic football.

One of them was the suggestion of an anti-Ulster or even an anti-Tyrone bias. The FRC’s video clips shown to delegates highlighting the three aggressive fouls that will constitute black card offences was no football version of Seán South from Garryowen.

Yes, there were men from Armagh, Donegal and Monaghan cited for cynical play but there were also men from Galway, Cork (twice), Kerry (twice), Kildare and Mayo. No Tyrone.

In fact, one snippet showed Tyrone’s Stephen O’Neill being deliberately tripped by Donegal’s Mark McHugh in the counties’ recent Division 1 game in Omagh. McHugh voiced his anger at Congress’ decision although he was way off the mark. On Saturday, he tweeted: “If something’s not broke then don’t fix it! Wanting recognition for themselves! Well done you have just ruined our club football!”

McHugh’s words are indicative of the attitude there is among players to a rule change that extends far beyond their individual and specific goals.

Such has been the success of the FRC that the GAA must now look at their standing rules committee and ask themselves how effective can it be to have so many people involved on it who could be labelled as having vested interests. Only independent thought and process can ensure that the best interests of the association’s interests as a whole are at heart.

The black card is by no means perfect. The sin bin remains a better option. But while Saturday’s vote won’t rid the game of cynicism, it will certainly curb it. For that, the FRC and delegates should be commended, not condemned. McGee should also be congratulated for refusing to give up even when the odds looked stacked against the proposal as late as last Saturday morning.

He heeded Kevin Costner’s Ness’s triumphant line to Robert de Niro’s Al Capone at the end of The Untouchables: “Never stop fighting till the fight is done.”