GAA Nua: Muzzled Cat Cody sets the perfect example for these strange times

Here are some talking points that caught our eye over the weekend

Sun, 02 Aug, 2020 - 22:03

John Fogarty

Photographs of a masked Brian Cody in Nowlan Park on Friday and Saturday made for a headline writer’s dream.

The top Cat may have been muzzled but by sitting in isolation and covering his face he couldn’t have set a better example as a spectator in the time of coronavirus (we should note that Kilkenny treasurer Barry Hickey was also snapped at the venue wearing a face covering).

Considering the Covid-19 scare his club James Stephens experienced last month, Cody would have been acutely aware of the need to be careful.

His former Kilkenny team-mate and ex-GAA president Nickey Brennan also contracted the disease and described his ordeal as something “I have never experienced anything like it nor do I hope to ever again”.

After heart surgery seven years ago, 66-year-old Cody would be mindful that he has an underlying condition but then he was only following the GAA’s guideline that the use of face coverings is “strongly advised”.

Might the GAA’s case for the Government to ease crowd restrictions be enhanced by making face coverings at games mandatory?

Cork refereeing in spotlight again

Glen Rovers' Robert Downey is sent off by referee Cathal McAllister against St Finbarr's at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Whatever you think about Robert Downey’s sending off in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday, Cathal McAllister’s decision to remove him from the field did nothing to dissuade the strongly-held belief that Cork championship games are officiated closer to the letter of the law than anywhere else.

Watching enough Limerick, Kilkenny, and Tipperary hurling down through the years and Downey’s jut of the butt into Eoin Keane would have hardly merited a yellow card. That’s not to condemn McAllister’s decision: Players have gone off for such offences before (Brian O’Meara and Liam Dunne in the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final replay) and will do so again.

On RTÉ, it was felt that Keane made too much of the jab into his side. On a lighter note, Keane could be thankful he didn’t get a hit from Patrick Horgan’s hurley butt.

It only be 34 inches in length but the enormous size of the handle, which he admits is laden with tape, complements the oversized bás.

Intermediate champs breath sigh of relief

The absence of relegation in some counties is already providing sweet relief.

In Waterford, last year’s intermediate champions Ballysaggart are down and out of the competition having lost heavily to De La Salle by 13 points on opening weekend and 23 points to Abbeyside this past Saturday.

But for the narrow decision to scrap relegation (the county executive, who had sought for it to remain in place, lost the vote by one vote), they would have been staring demotion in the face.

Wexford also agreed not to enforce relegation this season and their 2019 intermediate winners Cloughbawn can also be thankful having been drawn in a group of death with defending champions St Martin’s and traditional giants Oulart-the-Ballagh.

Losing to both in the space of seven days, their race is run for 2020 but they will at least be senior in 2021.

On the other hand, Richie McCarthy’s Blackrock are now in danger of the drop in Limerick after exiting the competition having failed to win either of their two group outings.

The evolution of streams

The varying streaming prices in counties make for interesting viewing with the Derry County Board charging £30 for a season pass, which is set to include over 10 championship games, to Tipperary’s decision to charge €10 per game.

In Kilkenny, the county board are offering bundles. For instance, individual games can be accessed at €6 each while in UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday streaming of the senior double-header (James Stephens v Danesfort, Erins Own v Mullinvat) could be accessed for €10.

The board has given permission to clubs to stream their own games and on Friday the clash between Graigue-Ballycallan and Clara was broadcasted online from Freshford.

The game was provided free of charge with the cost of the coverage being covered by the two clubs.

Dummy teams re-emerge

Last weekend, we complimented Kerry’s PRO team for producing 20 online match programmes for the games in the county — this weekend Limerick have provided another great service by producing free digital teamsheets for all 24 of their championship fixtures.

The revenue generated by match programmes would be greatly appreciated right now but the promotion of the games remains the priority and the work by the communications people in these boards has to be commended.

And while the physical match programme may now be more a sheet than anything else, that’s not to say the practice of late changes/dummy teams hasn’t stopped. Prior to Dr Crokes beating Kerins O’Rahillys in Saturday’s Group 1 club championship game, the Killarney men made two changes and the Tralee side one. Beaufort and Keel also made a brace of changes before their games on Sunday.

Ahead of their narrow loss to Castlebar Mitchels on Saturday, Charlestown also made a couple of personnel switches to the named team. Some of these 11th-hour alterations mightn’t be helped but it would be naive to believe all of them aren’t an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the opposition.

More cherry-picking

Cherry pickers are becoming a vantage point of choice for those GAA followers who either can’t or wish to gain admission to a game and yet want to watch it in person.

Last weekend, Sportsfile brought us the photograph of Toomevara supporters Paddy Shanahan and Seamus O’Meara taking in the action from a cherry picker in Nenagh’s McDonagh Park as their side drew with defending senior county and provincial champions Borris-Ileigh.

In Kill on Sunday, five spectators also ascended into the air from another field to watch the intermediate hurling championship clash involving Dunhill and Ballygunner. The man on his own watching the game inside the pitch enclosure between the dug-outs?

That is 87-year-old Dunhill GAA man Paddy Lyons, a man who has given a lifetime’s dedication to the club outside Waterford city.

Steady there Des Curran of ⁦@ExaminerSport⁩. Bringing live ⁦@OfficialCorkGAA⁩ championship action to fans everywhere.. pic.twitter.com/292wIkbe20
— Tony Leen (@tonyleen) August 2, 2020

Speaking of cherry pickers, the Irish Examiner were also grateful to Alan Coleman for the use of one in our streaming coverage of the Ballinhassig-Valley Rovers Premier IHC clash in Riverstick on Sunday. The independent county councillor’s assistance was greatly appreciated.

Big win for @BallinhassigGAA who edge neighbours @ValleyRoversGAA 1-16 to 0-17 in the @OfficialCorkGAA Premier IHC at Riverstick (every vantage point employed). Thanks to @ExaminerSport commentary team of @Desicurran and Ger Cunningham - our third live GAA clash of busy weekend. pic.twitter.com/trALnfAGTA
— Tony Leen (@tonyleen) August 2, 2020