Raiméis

As reported yesterday, four players from Tyrone and five from Dublin have been charged by the GAA’s Central Disciplinary Committee over the brawls at the two sides’ league game in Omagh almost 2 weeks ago. The players could face lengthy bans for their actions and I hope they do. I hope examples are made of both the players and the counties. The CDC is set to meet again this Saturday to discuss the issue further.

But the GAA itself really needs to take much of the responsibility for this. For far too long the GAA have tolerated this sort of behavior. How many years have we been looking at brawls mar games without the GAA doing much about it? The fact that players can accumulate yellow cards in successive games** without being punished is nothing but a joke. Players need to be properly punished [definition] for breaking the rules and the punishment enforced, simple as that.*

For as long as I have been going to games (since around the mid 80′s) fighting has been pretty much ignored. I remember one game I played in at under 14 level, we were playing a neighboring county in the Féile. The two team captains were actually class mates of mine and both hated each other with a vengeance. Before the ball was even thrown in a fight erupted between the two. Both players should have been shown the line immediately yet all they got was a telling off from the ref. What sort of message does this send to young players representing their county? That kicking the shit of each other is ok?

“Cute-hoorism”** has always been an inherent part of Gaelic games. Players elbowing each other or digging each other with the hurley, pulling jerseys, getting in punches whenever possible, having little kicks at each other; these are aspects of the game which have been accepted at all levels of the sport. You’ll see it in any game when lads are marking up, constantly pulling jerseys and elbowing each other. The sad thing is players are learning this (it can only be described as cheating) is acceptable at a very young age and are never taught that it is wrong.

One of the best aspects of Gaelic games is the speed, the games are let flow, play isn’t stopped by the refs whistle every 15 seconds like in soccer, and this is something which we have to maintain to keep the sports fast and exciting. Yet somehow the GAA need to clamp down on the cheating and especially the fighting in the sports. Proper penalties should only be the first step, clubs need to work on this at all levels especially with youngsters coming into the sports. IMOHO.

*Furthermore, once a punishment is meted out it shouldn’t be rescinded by the county board or lifted by high court injunction [example 2], as we have seen a number of times. This is simply making a mockery of the rules.

**Edit: Unashamedly fleeced from “In Fact, Ah”

Edit 2: Declan Lynch, in his usual style, has a few words to say on the “Battle of Omagh“. Imagine, they call this kind of trash “journalism” … once again I forget to credit, it’s becoming a habit. Hat tip to Slugger.