News
Cork fans not getting a break at all !
ONCE again the powers that be have shown scant regard for Cork fans. Do they seriously expect the Rebel fans to travel to Thurles on Saturday evening for a 7pm hurling replay and then head off to Wexford on Sunday for the football qualifier?
Do cost, time and recession mean anything to them? Was any thought given to playing both games together in Thurles on Saturday afternoon? Of course not, because Wexford might be upset at giving up home venue and two separate venues will produce more revenue. The magnanimous gesture of reducing Saturday’s ticket price by €5 is little short of a joke. At the same time Dublin fans are treated to a double bill in Croke Park and, again, have no travelling to do. What’s sauce for Croke Park is definitely not sauce for Cork.
Did anybody bother to ask why only 35,000 turned up in Thurles last Sunday, probably the smallest attendance for a game between the sides during the past decade. People just can’t afford to attend all these games at present. I was amazed that 3,000 Cork supporters turned up for the meaningless football game against Cavan last Saturday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh but on looking around Thurles on Sunday, the Waterford fans definitely seemed to outnumber the Cork supporters. I never remember that happening before.
A late evening game in Thurles on Saturday and Wexford on Sunday? No way. We will be amazed if Cork footballers have 500 supporters with them on Sunday and would also be surprised at a crowd of over 25,000 in Thurles.
Surely the time has come to have extra-time in all GAA matches, including finals. Extra-time should have been played on Sunday last to produce a winner. Crowds are dropping and will continue to drop. There is a bottom to people’s pockets these days and the GAA will have to come to grips with that problem. Extra time in all matches would be a start.
What of the Louth fiasco? Is there justice in sport? Certainly the rules don’t allow for it and who could expect Meath to offer a replay? There is no doubting the fact that the winning goal was completely illegal, everybody admits that. The referee made a serious error but the umpires at the goal must shoulder the brunt of the blame. Did they know the relevant rule? I doubt it.
The referee should have consulted the umpires properly before awarding the goal and one wonders why intercounty referees are making long treks to Athlone for regular meetings when this kind of fiasco is allowed to happen. To err is human, to forgive divine, but Louth people, deprived of a first Leinster title in 53 years are not in much of a forgiving mood.
There is no guarantee that a replay would produce an automatic Louth win; in fact it probably wouldn’t, so the damage is done now and nothing can undo it. The referee was wrong, he has admitted that and now we shall see if human justice has any part to play in the GAA.
Cork footballers once lost an All-Ireland final when a referee disallowed one of their goals hours after the game had finished. And we thought they were the bad old days. If the referee could have disallowed the Meath goal after seeing it on television later, wouldn’t that have been justice? Technology and sport? We’ll deal with that another day. The whole country sympathises with Louth but that won’t hand them the title or the cup, even through a replay. Something is wrong somewhere.
What cannot be accepted was the assault on the referee, but where was the Croke Park security? It looked like a single Garda was left to protect the referee in such a volatile situation. That ref should have been surrounded by a dozen stewards and shepherded quickly off the pitch. Croke Park authorities must take a huge share of blame for what transpired after the game.
A draw was a fair result between Cork and Waterford but Cork had it won twice and couldn’t hang on. Not a good sign of a team. They took a leaf out of Cork footballers’ book when they shouldn’t have. Did Waterford want it more? If so, why? Cork never matched Waterford’s aggression and hunger on the day with the Waterford players emerging from most rucks with the ball. A poor first half was followed by a cracking second period but the Cork selectors must shoulder a lot of responsibility for not making changes earlier when the team was in trouble. There is no way Cork can start with the same fifteen on Saturday.
One aspect which greatly disappointed us was the action of the Waterford supporters in boohing the Cork free-takers. This was never part of the GAA and should be stamped out. It reflects poorly on any county to hear supporters carrying on like that.
We had perfect seats in the old stand in Thurles but anybody who had the cheek to call it a covered stand is a real joker. Only about one tenth of the seats are covered and we were lucky the rain held off until the end of the game.
I can never understand why people don’t bother to turn up for the minor game on days like this. The Clare v Waterford game was a real cracker, with Clare creating a big surprise. They really played well but sympathy for Waterford who had to play fours days after a tough game against Cork in the semi-final. They looked really flat in the second half and little wonder. We have a lot of talk about burn-out of young players but those in charge at the top are more guilty than anybody. Would the senior teams be expected to play twice in four days?
While we were delighted to see Clare winning their first title in 21 years, where does that leave Cork minors, well beaten second time out by Waterford? How far behind are Cork at underage? Am I worried? Yes.
On Saturday we spent the morning with the Cork U14 hurlers in lashing rain in Dromtarriffe and full marks to the dedication of these young lads. Then we headed off to Páirc Ui Chaoimh after that to watch Cork footballers, having been told that football is only for hurlers with no skill. Anyway, we were amazed to see 3,000 hardy souls in the rain at the Cavan game and what a disaster it proved.
Cavan were appalling and this game was no use to Cork. The fringe players made an effort, some of the established players just strolled around the pitch for most of the game and Cork were given the opportunity to short-pass the ball all over the pitch, the worst thing that could have happened. Cork now play Wexford, who beat Galway, and that will test them down in Wexford. Like the hurlers, this football team is carrying a couple of passengers who need to get a wake-up call. Cavan couldn’t do it on Saturday, maybe Wexford might.
Just two little cribs from Saturday. Why is the Tricolour the only flag being flown in Páirc Uí Chaoimh? Why weren’t the Cork and Cavan flags on display from the vacant flag poles. Somebody just couldn’t be bothered to put them up. Secondly, charging $3 for the poor programme was a bit of a rip-off of supporters who showed their loyalty by turning up on such a day. We can do better than that.
Did we enjoy the weekend’s activity? Of course we did, although the rain on Saturday certainly didn’t help. The new road to Thurles is a god-send and we deserve it after all the hassle of traffic jams down the years. Are we suffering from burn-out? Very near it with so much local activity to be covered as well.
We were unable to take in any of the local games in the junior football but did catch the Kilmacabea v Kilbrittain game on Monday in Clon. Kilmacabea are, amazingly, still waiting for their first junior A title after a hundred years of trying and have often flattered to deceive. We have put the hex on them before by tipping them for the title so, after watching them beating Kilbrittain decisively on Monday evening, with Don Davis prominent on their sideline, we will just say that the team that beats them this season will definitely win the Mick McCarthy Cup.
The junior champions are gone, with St Mary’s losing to Caheragh, so we will have new junior A champions later in the season. Rossas, who had unexpectedly knocked out Bandon, followed up with another fine win over a fancied Muintir Bháire, who seemed to have it won but got caught at the finish. If they don’t lose any more players to the senior team Rossas are in with a good shout, although Clonakilty, Caheragh, Kilmacabea, Plunkett’s and Clann na nGael will all now fancy their chances.
With Cork hurlers and footballers involved almost every weekend, the divisional boards will certainly have major problems in finishing their programmes in time for the county championships, while the senior and intermediate teams can expect anything from playing week in, week out, to having huge gaps between rounds. What a mess we have gotten ourselves into and all because extra-times isn’t played in big games.
I wonder is there any good B&B on the road between Thurles and Wexford?
— Slán go Fóill