Hurling pre-match entertainment

I love hurling as a game but I have to say the brawls prior to the Cork v Clare Munster championship match and Laois v Offaly in Leinster were a disgrace.

I thought it was very poor form that the Sunday game panelists refused to condemn it and insisted on making a joke of it. There was plenty of striking with the hurl taking place in the row before the Cork-Clare game and at least 3 or 4 players should be looking at lengthy bans. The GAA needs to hold its hands up in cases like this and punish those involved.

If something similar had happened in, say, the International rules series, the Aussie team would have been labeled thugs and blamed for starting the whole thing. All the analysts could do was say that the teams should never have been leaving the dressing rooms at the same time. It was a truly disgraceful scene and an awful advertisement for Gaelic games (the poor match that followed didn't help).

Any other opinions? Preferably not just blatant GAA bashing.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

I love hurling as a game but I have to say the brawls prior to the Cork v Clare Munster championship match and Laois v Offaly in Leinster were a disgrace.

I thought it was very poor form that the Sunday game panelists refused to condemn it and insisted on making a joke of it. There was plenty of striking with the hurl taking place in the row before the Cork-Clare game and at least 3 or 4 players should be looking at lengthy bans. The GAA needs to hold its hands up in cases like this and punish those involved.

Any other opinions? Preferably not just blatant GAA bashing.

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yeah saw it live, to be honest i thought it was funny, since its the Ga you always half expect this kind of carry on
funny to see the legend A Daly (man he looks strange) say that it was ok "its not like they were hitting each other on the head", fine enough so!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't see it but from descriptions sounded like if the Aussies did the same thing the GAA players would have went home crying.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

If something similar had happened in, say, the International rules series, the Aussie team would have been labeled thugs and blamed for starting the whole thing. All the analysts could do was say that the teams should never have been leaving the dressing rooms at the same time. It was a truly disgraceful scene and an awful advertisement for Gaelic games (the poor match that followed didn't help).

Any other opinions? Preferably not just blatant GAA bashing.

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Totally agree with ya.
It's ridiculous also that analysts say "They were left come out of the tunnell at the same time."
If they can't run out of a tunnell side by side, then there's no hope for us all.

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Originally Posted by Risteard

It's ridiculous also that analysts say "They were left come out of the tunnell at the same time."
If they can't run out of a tunnell side by side, then there's no hope for us all.

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I think the GAA are looking for government funding to build a second tunnel in Croke Park now.

Thomas Davis will also be looking for the design of Tallaght stadium to be changed to accomodate a second tunnel. :D

ya, thats what i hate the hypocrisy of it, just because they get hammered by the aussies they start crying foul, yet when its amongst themselves its fine. Though it isn't an excuse the aussies are more cynical and dangerous with what htey do.

Bennocelt, ya you have to expect that from the people who play GAA all backward rednecks. its a laugh really. So funny that we are talking about 2/3 of the population.....

Will someone please think of the children??? :D

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Originally Posted by pete

Will someone please think of the children??? :D

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Never mind the children, will this have an effect on the coefficient?!

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Bennocelt, ya you have to expect that from the people who play GAA all backward rednecks. its a laugh really. So funny that we are talking about 2/3 of the population.....

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i live with a few county players, really nice guys but jeez they are different!! mad into their westlife and soaps, and barrys tea, etc
i think the Ga fans are a different breed to the rest of us

theres clear pictures in some of the papers of a clare player with a cork player in a headlock, with another cork player about to smack the clare player with his hurley. if these thugs cant even just walk onto the park together what hope is there.

So I take it none of you actually saw what happened. Not one punch was thrown in either of the incidents. If you lot are over sensitve to a bit of shoulder barging I suggest you lock yourselves indoors and turn of the TV. Its a lot worse out in the real world you know.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

So I take it none of you actually saw what happened. Not one punch was thrown in either of the incidents. If you lot are over sensitve to a bit of shoulder barging I suggest you lock yourselves indoors and turn of the TV. Its a lot worse out in the real world you know.

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Lets be honest,there was alot more than shoulder barging.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

So I take it none of you actually saw what happened.

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Take it whatever way you want but yours is the narrow-minded post.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

So I take it none of you actually saw what happened. Not one punch was thrown in either of the incidents. If you lot are over sensitve to a bit of shoulder barging I suggest you lock yourselves indoors and turn of the TV. Its a lot worse out in the real world you know.

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In fairness you must have been watching with your eyes closed if you didn't see any punches or players striking with the hurls. I've been involved in the GAA from the age of four. I love hurling and playing Gaelic football.

I've seen much more violent incidents in under 16 games and witnessed a player getting stamped on repeatedly in a junior game. All I'm saying is the GAA needs to stop turning a blind eye. Fighting before or after a game is a disgrace and should be condemned. Anyone involved should face an appropriate suspension (and it should be games not months).

A panel on RTE television blaming the fact that the teams were allowed onto the pitch at the same time and generally laughing about an incident that took place in front of a guard of honour provided by primary school children is not acceptable.

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theres clear pictures in some of the papers of a clare player with a cork player in a headlock, with another cork player about to smack the clare player with his hurley. if these thugs cant even just walk onto the park together what hope is there.

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ya diarmuid osullivan was the cork player, you didnt see the picture taken 1 minute after that gav did ye? It had the same two players shaking hands before throw in. Only in Ireland.

passinginterest they must have read your post :D
http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0530/clare.html?gaa

Just a question to anyone who has been involved in GAA.

Can you tell me what the story is with the Managers and Selectors of GAA teams who go down on one knee on the sideline.Ya know the thing were the other knee has an elbow resting on it.Just noticed it happens in most GAA games but haven't seen it in other sports.

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

passinginterest they must have read your post :D
http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0530/clare.html?gaa

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I have more power than I ever imagined :)

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Originally Posted by smellyfeet

Just a question to anyone who has been involved in GAA.

Can you tell me what the story is with the Managers and Selectors of GAA teams who go down on one knee on the sideline.Ya know the thing were the other knee has an elbow resting on it.Just noticed it happens in most GAA games but haven't seen it in other sports.

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I have no idea but I've always had a habit of doing the same thing whenever I'm on the line. There's hardly ever a bench to sit on so I suppose it's just to get a rest from standing. Interesting observation though.

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Originally Posted by smellyfeet

Lets be honest,there was alot more than shoulder barging.

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Ah you're right, I mean Tyson wouldn't have got a look in with the viciousness of the argy bargy before both matches. I guess we should be looking at prison sentances really what with the numerous assaults that took place.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

Ah you're right, I mean Tyson wouldn't have got a look in with the viciousness of the argy bargy before both matches. I guess we should be looking at prison sentances really what with the numerous assaults that took place.

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I'm only saying that there was more the shoulder barging that went on.
Why have the GAA suspended players so??

Who has been suspended?

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Originally Posted by Roadend

Ah you're right, I mean Tyson wouldn't have got a look in with the viciousness of the argy bargy before both matches. I guess we should be looking at prison sentances really what with the numerous assaults that took place.

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Sure, why not? If only for scaring the hell out of 7 and 8 year old girls.

I'm sure they're scarred for life after it.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

I'm sure they're scarred for life after it.

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Maybe, hopefully they'll just watch some professionals instead.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

Who has been suspended?

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Originally Posted by Roadend

I'm sure they're scarred for life after it.

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

Maybe, hopefully they'll just watch some professionals instead.

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I knew I should never have started this thread, was bound to turn into childish rubbish.

I was suggesting that I thought the RTE panel was wrong to make light of a serious incident. I feel the GAA needs to take responsibility and try to reduce the occurrence of violence in GAA games. A championship match watched by hundreds of thousands of people should not descend into anarchy before a ball is even thrown in. Setting this kind of example legitimises the violent incidents that take place week in, week out on GAA pitches around the country.

Glad to see the GAA had a full investigation and players, as yet unnamed, have been suspended. http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0530/clare.html?gaa

**edit** and if that's not a punch in the photo beside the article, then I don't know what is.

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Originally Posted by Roadend

Who has been suspended?

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Don't know,Its a secret.

that actually doesnt look like a punch to me passinginterest. it looks more like he is pushing him with his fist :D, seriously. YOU know when ye reach out to grab someone with yer fist and then ye dont get a grab on them. tahts what it looks like to me anyhow.

Gav, I have been at those matches and at 7 or 8 I wasnt scared cos it was 20 or 30 yards away from me and as I got older I thought in a way that you dont see in most other sports, an agression and proof that these people are really up for it ( the match not the fight! ), however the drunken man outside the ground being rowdy always worried me!!!!

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Gav, I have been at those matches and at 7 or 8 I wasnt scared cos it was 20 or 30 yards away from me and as I got older I thought in a way that you dont see in most other sports, an agression and proof that these people are really up for it ( the match not the fight! ), however the drunken man outside the ground being rowdy always worried me!!!!

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im talking specifically about the photos in the papers of kids in the guard of honour recoiling in shock and horror at diarmuid o'sullivan plummeting towards them. the kids are 4 or 5 feet away.

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

that actually doesnt look like a punch to me passinginterest. it looks more like he is pushing him with his fist :D, seriously. YOU know when ye reach out to grab someone with yer fist and then ye dont get a grab on them. tahts what it looks like to me anyhow.

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The more I look at it the more I think your right :D:o

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

im talking specifically about the photos in the papers of kids in the guard of honour recoiling in shock and horror at diarmuid o'sullivan plummeting towards them. the kids are 4 or 5 feet away.

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In fairness, the prospect of a 20 stone man plummeting towords you is shocking no matter what agew you are.

The point I'm trying to make anyayway is that pushing and shoving isn't exaclty violence.

gav i didnt see that picture. fair enough. it is no example to set to these kids though, especially considering they are a guard of honour and were probably looking forward to this for weeks if not months.

And the attendance at this awful, barbaric game??

23,000 which was acknowledged by most involved to be pi$$ poor

It's clearly what the people want. Says a lot about the Irish people but there you go

That crowd was pretty much expected beforehand due to Clare's rubbishness.