All Blacks win a great sporting moment
As a sports follower I am often asked: ‘What is the greatest sporting event you witnessed?’. I wasn’t lucky enough to be in the Aviva Stadium last Saturday night but the game between Ireland and the All Blacks is certainly up there with the greatest that I have ever seen. It was gripping and enthralling stuff from pillar to post. As Ireland took the game to the mighty New Zealand, not alone did they match them, but they beat them too.
You could sense from the atmosphere that something special was about to happen. Every Irish player from 1 to 23 played their part. The intensity of the battle was incredible. The hits, the bravery, the heart and determination from both sides was breathtaking. It was the greatest win ever for Irish Rugby but it will be very hard to keep the hype machine from going into overdrive now.
Twelve months out from the World Cup the All Blacks will go home and lick their wounds and will come up with a plan to deal with Ireland if they meet them in Japan. This brilliant win will also put Ireland up there to be shot down by all comers. Now, a win against Ireland is a huge feather in any team’s cap and the team will have to be able to deal with that. But that’s all for another day.
For the moment let’s revel in what was a sensational win. I was glad I was able to see it, even if I wasn’t there. By the way, Hugh Cahill and Donal Lenihan did a mighty job on the commentary on RTE.
Fuerty can be proud of brave display
There may have been big wins over the years and some great performances too but I doubt if there has ever been a braver display than the one we saw in the second half from Fuerty last Sunday in the Connacht intermediate final. Down a man and losing by five points at half-time no one would have given them any chance against An Spidéal, but Eamon Towey and his men did not read that script and they were sensational in that second half. Three times they drew level but they could never get ahead and looking back now they were too reliant on the placed ball for their scores. A poor start didn’t help either and they had no luck with the refereeing as most of the big calls went against them.
They will be bitterly disappointed that they lost this provincial final but when the pain of defeat eases they will be able to reflect on a fantastic year that saw them win the county title for the first time and now they can look forward to senior football in 2019. They can also be very proud of the effort of all of their players over the course of this championship. Heartbreaking defeats like last Sunday’s will add to the learning curve of the many young players on their team and in the long run it may even make them stronger.
Rule change decision on Saturday
The proposed rule changes in Gaelic football will be decided on Saturday and it will be interesting to see what happens. I would support the restriction of the hand pass, the requirement that the kick-out go beyond the 45’ and that a sideline kick should go forward.
The other two rules with regard to the mark inside the 20-metre line and the restriction of the amount of players in the centre of the field for a kick-out are not as important in my humble view.
Something needed to be done as the game we all love has become stale, boring and ruled by people with laptops and overactive imaginations. Despite what some people might have you believe, Gaelic football is a simple game and when it’s played well it can still be a spectacle. The restriction of the hand pass is key.
The facts are that regardless of the rules the big teams will be the ones to adapt best and quickest. Same as it ever was and history proves that again and again. But hopefully whatever is agreed will improve the game. It needs a boost very badly.
Final venue unfair on Four Roads
At the time of writing the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Club Final between Kilmessan of Meath and Four Roads of Roscommon is fixed for Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday next. The decision to fix a national final on what is essentially home ground for Kilmessan is a disgrace. Obviously the people who made this fixture were confident that they would get away with it. It is grossly unfair on Four Roads.
We hear constant complaints from camogie and ladies football people who say that the games do not get enough promotion, then they go and give the favourites for the title a home game? It’s a joke. What sort of promotion is that? There are hundreds of GAA pitches in Westmeath, Offaly, Laois and elsewhere that would stage this final if they were asked.
The Roscommon Camogie Board and Four Roads should put the pressure on for a venue change. Is it too much to ask that the match be played at a neutral venue? It’s not too late. I wish Four Roads the best of luck in any event.
Best wishes to the backroom team
The best of luck to Iain Daly and Mark Dowd in their roles as Roscommon selectors alongside Anthony Cunningham. Both are good Roscommon football men and know the scene inside out. The training will begin soon and all will be revealed in January.
O’Neill and Co. had to go!
I waited until after watching the Denmark v Republic of Ireland game on Monday night before making a comment about our national soccer team. I was hoping that I could say something positive but alas it was more of the same as the Boys in Green parked several buses in front of their own goal. They never bothered to attack throughout the game.
I fully realise that we just do not have many quality players at the moment but surely they could make a better effort than we have seen over the past year.
It was time for Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane to get off the gravy train and give someone else a go at it. Stephen Kenny anyone? He couldn’t be any worse.
Sad to hear of Weeshie’s passing
I was very sad to hear of the death at the weekend of Weeshie Fogarty. There are few people on local radio who are known nationally but Weeshie was one. I met him numerous times in Croke Park and elsewhere around the country and interviewed him many times whenever Roscommon were playing Kerry. What he didn’t know about the Kerry GAA scene was not worth talking about. A fountain of knowledge and a lovely man, it was a pleasure to have known him. May he rest in peace.
GAA big boys avoid punishment
Last week the GAA handed out a sanction to the Laois County Board because their senior footballers broke the new rules with regard to training camps. In the 2019 league they will have to play one of their home games at a neutral venue as a punishment.
The facts of the matter are that the Laois footballers, under their manager John Sugrue, went to south Kerry for a four day training camp prior to the Leinster Championship in May. They knew that they were going outside the two week period allowed before a championship game. When they were questioned about it they told the truth and were punished accordingly.
Seventeen counties were investigated for breaches of the same rule. Only two were sanctioned (Armagh were the other) despite the fact that it is common knowledge that many of the big counties travelled abroad and openly flouted the ban. However when they were questioned they came up with excuses like ‘sightseeing’ and ‘historical’ tours for their players! What’s more they were believed and all got away scot free. It’s another instance of the GAA making one rule for the big counties and another for the small fry.
The rules surrounding training camps and training in general are being flouted all the time. The GAA would be better advised on trying to figure out how to address the huge inequality there is in terms of funding and facilities between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ rather than handing out punishments to counties who are trying to improve their status.
