Kevin McStay takes aim at ‘sad haters’ online

RTÉ pundit Kevin McStay has slammed the “sad haters” who are attacking GAA stars on social media.

Earlier this week GPA chief Paul Flynn revealed that some county players felt they had to avoid work the day after major games this year following vicious online abuse.

His comments were echoed by former Roscommon manager, McStay, at the launch of his new book The Pressure Game, Walking the Walk on the County Sideline this week.

“I want to reserve my greatest contempt for the sad haters out there and all the erroneous stuff people wrote and spoke about me and my team, particularly the online gobshites. You should be ashamed of yourselves but of course, you’re not.

“That’s the sad lives that you lead but I suppose, this book will keep you going until Christmas.”

During his tenure from 2016-2018, McStay led Roscommon to the topflight of the Alllianz Football League, a Connacht SFC title and a place in the inaugural Super 8’s competition.

But such achievements were often overshadowed by the horrific abuse that McStay and his charges suffered following three heavy All-Ireland series losses at the hands of Dublin, Tyrone and Donegal and a poor Connacht final display at home in 2018.

Describing the commitment players make to compete at the elite level of GAA, McStay said: “The idea that they might be abused or criticised unfairly playing for Roscommon, I find that appalling.

“These are lads in their early twenties and they’re so proud to wear their colours and I’d love if everyone in this hall said to themselves, ‘the next time I hear someone at that sort of bullshit I’m going to correct them. Because I know for 100% sure, they do deserve better. Some of the stuff that I heard over the three years was shocking,” he said.

GPA chief Flynn revealed the level of vitriol their members faced during the 2019 season: “We had players this year who couldn’t go to work the next day because of the abuse they got on a Sunday on social media. They were teachers or they were professionals facing kids and so forth.

“It’s very difficult at the moment, online abuse is an epidemic across society and we’re just a microcosm of society.

“We’re in the public eye so we get more of it than others. It’s also about them managing their own accounts, so that for job opportunities they are in the public eye and what they’re putting out there it’s important it’s managed carefully.”

But for McStay the good times have left fond memories. “When things were going well, it was just an amazing buzz,” he said recalling their 9 point win over Galway in the 2017 Connacht final.

“We won what we won and we lost what we lost but I want to say publicly that through it all, those three years, I had only the best of intentions for Roscommon football.”

- The Pressure Game, Walking the Walk on the County Sideline is available to buy now.