Emmet Moloney writes for the 'The Irish Farmers Journal' and is a former sports columnist with 'The Kerryman'.
Another defining weekend in the GAA season. Once a year we have the “controversy” of the summer and this year’s one is a doozie, writes Emmet Moloney...
The dust still hasn’t settled. As usual, the aftermath is being handled badly by everyone – Louth, Meath and, in particular, the GAA hierarchy. What happened on Sunday did not surprise me one bit. And it’s not the first time I have seen a referee in serious physical danger. Let’s not kid ourselves – this happens up and down the country in senior, junior and juvenile matches.
Why does it continue to happen? It happens because referees are human and once you hand control of events on a pitch to a human being there is always the chance of a few mistakes. It also happens because we have human beings on the sideline and in the stands who put on a set of blinkers when they go to matches. Their team are angels and the other side are thugs. Every single decision is questioned and the ref is wrong anytime he blows against them. And we put up with it. By putting up with these eejits at matches, we are only encouraging them.
Louth came out the wrong end of a poor decision. But they’re not the first or last county to suffer that fate. The reaction to Joe Sheridan’s score has been hysterical. But it’s the way of the world in 2010 that people search for someone and something to blame for their perceived injustices. It’s not so long ago that half the country threatened never again to buy Gillette razors because Thierry Henry caught a ball in the square. How ridiculous was that overreaction? This is the GAA version of that. It’s ridiculous. It also leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Everything about the situation is unsatisfactory.
The hounding of the referee afterwards by what can only be described as a mob was the worst aspect of the day. A bottle being thrown in anger onto Croke Park represents a dark day in our association. While we all know this was a tiny, minuscule section of the vast and great Louth support, the GAA should still take strong action against their County Board, while prosecuting those involved to the fullest extent of the law.
The Louth County Board waited until Monday night to condemn those actions. The statement also contained a request for a copy of the referee’s report. What for? Sure we all know what happened. More nonsense. It would have been more in their line to have been on the radio and television within minutes of the incidents apologising to the referee and the steward assaulted. Forget the result of the match, the gurriers have to be dealt with.
Louth’s manager is a notable exception to the criticism. While I can never understand the point of arguing with a referee once a game is over, Peter Fitzpatrick’s efforts to talk to Martin Sludden were obviously non-physical and non-threatening. Indeed, had Fitzpatrick not been there to restrain supporters, there could have been serious injury. He did a better job than so-called Croke Park security. The tramp who tried three times to knock the referee knew what he was doing. Had Sludden been knocked to the ground I shudder to think what would have followed, such was the mood.
The GAA need a right kick up the backside after last Sunday. Their immediate reactions simply weren’t good enough. Who deals with this situation? Who was in charge? The Leinster Council? Croke Park itself? Christy Cooney? Answers on a postcard.
This is why we need a commissioner/CEO of hurling and football. One person clearly in charge and his job would be to deal with matters like this – quickly and efficiently. And in public. Instead, we had the GAA releasing a statement that hung the referee out to dry. We don’t hear about referees’ reports too often but they were quick off the mark to tell us that he had admitted his mistake. They were even quicker to say there was no rule in the book for a replay, but if Meath wanted one, sure it’s up to yourselves, lads. Wonderful leadership. It’s Meath’s problem and the onus is on them. Leave us out of it.
Meath did clever thing and kicked for touch. Their Monday-night meeting that decided nothing at all was a classic manoeuvre in GAA politics. By buying time, the hype reduced somewhat and they’ll keep a cup that was, after all, presented to Nigel Crawford after the match. How do you undo that? Word from the Royals’ camp is that they were not in favour of a replay because of the actions of some of the Louth supporters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Meath players were jostled by supporters running onto the pitch and one was struck.
If that is the truth and the ultimate reason that Louth are denied “natural justice” then I have no problem with that. I could completely understand a Meath supporter watching that mayhem unfold in front of him or her and think, “replay? I don’t think so”.
A section of the Wee County’s support let them down badly. I have no doubt that if Louth’s fans (and some of their players) had taken this defeat with dignity, made their protests through a proper, concerted effort through media channels, etc, they would be lining up this Sunday for a replay. If that had happened, then the thugs would have been happy with their role in causing it.
That’s the bad taste in the mouth. That’s why I felt my native county let themselves down so badly when we were robbed of a Munster U-21 title back in 2008. Surrounding a referee after a match and physically threatening him loses you any right to “justice” in my book. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The gurriers can’t win.
I say no replay. I say, Louth, get over it, you are still in the championship. I say Croke Park, get your act together. Instead of using this incident to introduce life bans, big fines, court cases, bring in umpires who are referees and put one person in definitive charge of the championship with absolute powers. Croke Park will use it to ban the joyous pitch invasion and last Sunday was their excuse. No more Plan B, I’d imagine.
Thurles was good fun, by the way, and we were blissfully unaware of the chaos in Croker till we got back to our cars. The minor match was special for selfish reasons because Clare beat a good Waterford side, while the senior game really got going in the second half.
So this weekend we will have a replay. Cork and Waterford go at it again. There will be skin and hair flying early. I love replays.
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