Tipp will want to drown out Cork's boos for Darragh McCarthy in Thurles

Darragh McCarthy’s free-taking process is most certainly unhurried but to consider it time-wasting would be a stretch

Between putting the ball on the ground and striking the sliotar, Darragh McCarthy took an average of 24 seconds to send over his two frees against Cork on Saturday. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

To be clear, the boos for Darragh McCarthy on Saturday had little to do with the length of time he was taking over the two frees he converted.

He was greeted with the chorus upon his introduction in the 55th minute. A chap who is barely out of his teens makes for a strange pantomime villain but when you were sent off before hitting a ball the last time you visited the same theatre, there is a chance the home crowd will remember.

Of course, it wasn’t just that. McCarthy then had the temerity to bounce back against Cork and score 1-13 in an All-Ireland final, four of those points coming from play. The boy is clearly made of strong stuff.

The reception McCarthy received was  dismissed by manager Liam Cahill. “That’s probably creeping into sport in general but look Darragh is well capable of putting that to the back of his mind.

“It’s a bit of friendly banter I’d imagine, nothing major from it from our side. It’s going to be something similar come April or May come the Munster championship when the stadium is full as well.” 

The jeering McCarthy was subjected to didn’t go so well with others including RTÉ’s co-commentator Michael Duignan. “That’s his style. He is slow taking his frees but it’s not part of our game.” 

McCarthy’s Toomevara club-mate and manager Ken Dunne wrote on X: “Some classy Cork supporters booing a 20-year-old on his introduction as a sub. No bother to Darragh though.” 

Tipperary footballer Aishling Moloney went further. “Was sitting witnessing this live and it wasn’t nice. Cork supporters throughout were horrific to be around. The carry on and abuse with young kids sitting around. Nothing to be proud of.”

It was pointed out to Moloney that Tipperary fans also booed Adam Screeney when he came on as a substitute in Tullamore the previous weekend.

At least there won’t be too many jeers in a quieter Croke Park on Friday when McCarthy will be on free-taking duty for UL in their Fitzgibbon Cup final against Mary Immaculate College.

But keeping Cahill’s comment about the Munster SHC in mind, there will be an onus on Tipperary to ensure they aren’t outnumbered in Thurles in April 19’s opener as they were so embarrassingly among the 43,972 crowd there in 2024.

That shouldn’t be a major issue now that they are champions and Cahill’s efforts to reconnect with supporters had been bearing fruit months before they lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

However, it is going to be a thing because McCarthy is unquestionably deliberate. Between putting the ball on the ground and striking the sliotar, he took an average of 24 seconds to send over his two frees after coming on as a substitute on Saturday.

That was more than half of the time his team-mate Eoghan Connolly, who took approximately 10 seconds to fire over three of his four long-range points from placed balls. Jason Forde’s average was around 12 seconds as was that of Jake Morris.

McCarthy’s process was over three times longer than one of the successful frees Darragh Fitzgibbon pinged over the bar (seven seconds). Alan Connolly’s routine, like Forde’s, lasted half of McCarthy’s.

In TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday, Limerick’s Aidan O’Connor took between 15 and 18 seconds to strike his frees. For Kilkenny, Cian Kenny’s duration was slightly less and Eoin Cody's a couple of seconds shorter. To waste time by delaying the taking of one’s free or sideline is a technical foul. The free is cancelled and a throw-in from where the foul occurred is the usual outcome.

The time afforded for any placed ball is at the discretion of the referee. Eleven months ago, following outcry from teams, the Football Review Committee had to row back from the 20-second limit they put on kick-outs and frees.

McCarthy’s process is most certainly unhurried but to consider it time-wasting would be a stretch. He himself agreed it is just that but told Tipp FM two years ago “there’s no point in changing it now at this stage.” Cahill himself told “Smaller Fish” on Saturday that it can be frustrating. So long as it is only for the opposition and as he’s said sending them over, he will pay no mind.