Kennelly admits final 'marker' was premeditated

dcr22B

By DERMOT CROWE

Sunday October 18 2009

KERRY footballer Tadhg Kennelly has admitted that his challenge on Nicholas Murphy three seconds into last month's All-Ireland football final was a premeditated act designed to lay down a marker.

Kennelly says he disclosed his intentions to room-mate Paul Galvin on the eve of the final. "I'm going to charge in and hit someone at the start," he says he told Galvin. Murphy received a high and dangerous shoulder charge when Kennelly sprinted from his position to tackle the midfielder as he wheeled away with the ball straight after the throw-in.

The revelation that he had decided to take the law into his own hands is made in his autobiography, Unfinished Business, which is to be published this week.

Referee Marty Duffy awarded a free to Cork but took no action against the Kerry forward. The offence was a Category 2 offence under the rule book and merited a red card.

Kennelly returned from Australia to win an All-Ireland medal with Kerry last month, fulfilling his ambition, and played a starring role in the final. His dream return to Ireland culminated in being chosen on the Vodafone All Stars team at left half-forward on Friday night.

The GAA has refused to comment on the revelation made by Kennelly, who is employed by Kerry County Board as a GAA coach.

It has also been learned that the experimental rules which were designed to rid the game of cynical tackling and professional fouling have been binned, with GAA authorities deciding that they were no longer required.

The rules sought to remove blights like high tackling and late hits from Gaelic games and had had a run in secondary competitions this year but were shelved for the championship, pending a later review.

Kennelly would have received a yellow card under those rules and been forced to sit out the rest of the final, although he would have been replaced by a substitute.

There is no suggestion that Kennelly's decision was initiated by anyone other than the player himself or was part of the Kerry game plan. "My theory," he explains, "was that I really wanted to set the tone for our side. We wanted Cork to know that we were a totally different animal to the one they'd faced three months earlier."

He went on: "As we got to our positions, I looked across at Galvin, who nodded, and then positioned myself on the line ready to race in when the referee put the ball in the air. My eyes were almost rolling around in the back of my head. I was like a raging bull."

He says he "timed it right" and caught Murphy "perfectly on the chin". His message was: "Cop that. It's different this time, boys".

The Central Competition Controls Committee (CCCC) examined footage of the incident after the final and decided not to ask Duffy to review his decision.

- DERMOT CROWE

Sunday Independent

Telling us what we already knew, would the GAA have the cojones to ban him retrospectively? This kind of sh1te has no place in our game. It's no better in my view (asides from the obvious injury) than what Roy Keane did to Alf Inge Haaland a few years back.

Mr. Incognito

Taken from the SUNDAY INDEPENDENT,

The biggest rag to grace these shore in the history of the state.

I wouldn't wipe my arse with it or believe a word it prints.

amacachi

If it warranted a red card then why does it matter if it was premeditated or not?
I didn't see it but do wonder how "bad" it actually was.

At times I kinda wish the GAA would just make the game non-contact to stop the silly after-game whinging about every challenge which under the rules is illegal. Just how much contact is allowed ffs?

LeoB

Tadgh should have got a Red card for that challenge. End of storey. Marty Duffy didnt have the guts to give it to him.
Its a very insulting thing to come out with now. No need for it.

He should be banned. We could do without people like him dragging the game down when people are working so hard to improve it.
Hopefully he will hop on one of these Ethiad flights to Oz, The G.A.A does not need him

amacachi There is plenty of room for good hard tackling but not this premeditated s**t

dcr22B

You can guarantee that had it been Ciaran Whelan, Paul Galvin or anyone else who had a bad reputation there might have been a different result.

Could revealing this backfire on Kennelly now as referees may pay more attention to him now?

LeoB

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I wouldn't wipe my arse with it or believe a word it prints.

Would ya be able to find it?

If you read the op you will see it is taken from his book. Maybe Kennelly is a liar or Just thick

DDC1990

???? What the Hell???

I'll wait till the Book comes out to properly comment, because it doesn't sound very like Tadhg.

But if this is true it was a very stupid thing to disclose. Everyone who's played football knows that laying down a marker is a very important thing to do, but to deliberatly hit a guy that high would be stupid stupid stupid!

If he simply says, I wanted to go out and hit a guy a shoulder and knock him on his arse fair enough, but to say this! Beyond belief!

EDIT: Actually its just sensationalist journalism.

The direct quotes are "I'm going to charge in and hit someone at the start," ... No problem in my view. We all knew he did this, he just didn't intend to catch Murphy High.

"My theory," he explains, "was that I really wanted to set the tone for our side. We wanted Cork to know that we were a totally different animal to the one they'd faced three months earlier." ...... Again nothing we didn't know.


"As we got to our positions, I looked across at Galvin, who nodded, and then positioned myself on the line ready to race in when the referee put the ball in the air. My eyes were almost rolling around in the back of my head. I was like a raging bull." ... He was fired up... what a surprise! What he sacrificed for this all Ireland no one will truely know. Nothing said here about trying to injure anyone.


He says he "timed it right" and caught Murphy "perfectly on the chin". His message was: "Cop that. It's different this time, boys". ..... As for this... selective editing...what a surprise. He could have said anything in any context. A load of ****e from the SIndo as usual.

dixiefly

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Taken from the SUNDAY INDEPENDENT,

The biggest rag to grace these shore in the history of the state.

I wouldn't wipe my arse with it or believe a word it prints.

So you are saying that you reckon Kennelly didnt say this?

I wouldnt wipe my arse with the indo either - then again I dont tend to wipe my arse with newspapers - maybe you do.

If you dont feel the need to comment on a thread then dont comment. I dont see any reason not to believe the article and wouldnt have any issue with this particular journalist. He is quoting from an autobiography that he is quite likely to have been given access to.

In my opnion it is a pretty disgraceful and uncalled for comment. Unfortunately many players do target other players deliberately but usually keep quiet about it and are thankful that they werent sent off.

I hope he does get sanctioned over this but, as it is the close season, any action will be minor in the bigger scheme of things.

lukin

All I have to say is; February 13, NFL Division One, Cork v Kerry. Looking forward to seeing you there Tadgh.

dixiefly

LeoB wrote: »

Tadgh should have got a Red card for that challenge. End of storey. Marty Duffy didnt have the guts to give it to him.
Its a very insulting thing to come out with now. No need for it.

He should be banned. We could do without people like him dragging the game down when people are working so hard to improve it.
Hopefully he will hop on one of these Ethiad flights to Oz, The G.A.A does not need him

amacachi There is plenty of room for good hard tackling but not this premeditated s**t

Agreed.

This is a good indication of the "education" he got in Oz.

We can alll remember the thuggery of the aussie players over here and this is just a little reminder of it.

I agree with Mickey Harte that our pandering to the aussie game in the compromise rules is not a good idea on several fronts.

dixiefly

lukin wrote: »

All I have to say is; February 13, NFL Division One, Cork v Kerry. Looking forward to seeing you there Tadgh.

If the GAA got their disciplinary system right he would be suspended for that one. Better still he should get a suspension for a couple of championship games next year.

Wonder will the Cork players clap the Kerry guys on to the field as All-Ireland champions?

The_Kew_Tour

It cant be true a Kerry man being dirty. NEVER:rolleyes:

Pappy o' daniel

This Kennelly incident.

Their diving.

Their refusal to play the Goal match which cost the charity 30k, so they could spend a week on the beer.


I have no longer any respect for this team.

ledesma

Cody goes on and on about playing right on the edge, and you heard what Tommy Walsh had to say about the team ethic at the All Stars. I think after a decade of professionalism under Tadhg's belt, he knows how to push it as far as he can, and he did. He hit him with his shoulder and he definitely connected with his face, but he was down low when hit and I'd be more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he said that he went out to lay down a marker and to hit someone early on - well at least he is being honest about it. He was superb against Cork in Munster Championship and really made the team gel in the last few games. His mentality was the difference in turning the season around for Kerry.That and Murphy's save!

useurename

it was a big hit.it had to hurt murphy hard.it set out a marker alright:cool:

DDC1990

Pappy o' daniel wrote: »

This Kennelly incident.

Their diving.

Their refusal to play the Goal match which cost the charity 30k, so they could spend a week on the beer.


I have no longer any respect for this team.

Yeah stop pretending you had any respect for Kerry in the first place.
You have never said one positive thing about the team.

No one cared when Cork "laid down a marker" in the first 10mins of the second half against Tyrone in the Semi Final. Are you saying those hits off the ball weren't premeditated?
Im not saying 2 wrongs make a right but stop acting shocked and horrified that a player might make a hard hit to shake up the opposition and get over yourself.

MunsterCycling

About time for the GAA nobs to ban scum like this.

Happy Monday

MunsterCycling wrote: »

About time for the GAA nobs to ban scum like this.

It was a loosener - very common in Australia.
I was amazed at the reaction at the time - I mean GAA boys are tough until someone hits them.
Grow up Cork - the better team beat you - again!

ps I am from Gaillimh not from Ciarrai.

MunsterCycling

Oh I agree they had them well beaten, its just Kennelly can't be seen to get away with this or then the GAA will have no standards... Oh wait...

MC

Slideshowbob

Kennelly = scum bag

i hope there's repercussions

supposed to be an amateur sport - so someone can go to work on a monday morning

byhookorbycrook

it's the arrogance of the guy more than anything else. What is accepted in Oz is not our problem. What Kennelly did was a blatant pre-meditated breach of GAA rules and he got away with it.

Slideshowbob

he must think he is a superstar like Roy Keane or Tana Umaga

mrgaa1

He has brought the game into disrepute and deserves to be suspended. It seems to be the in thing - hit hard within the first minute of a game - less likely to get sent off. The ref fudged it and the GAA rules certainly have fudged it.
Anyhow Kerrys refusal to play the GOAL game is inexcusable.

lukin

mrgaa1 wrote: »

He has brought the game into disrepute and deserves to be suspended. It seems to be the in thing - hit hard within the first minute of a game - less likely to get sent off. The ref fudged it and the GAA rules certainly have fudged it.
Anyhow Kerrys refusal to play the GOAL game is inexcusable.

When Roy Keane admitted in his autobiography to going out to deliberately injure an opponent he was banned for five matches and fined £150,000.
The GAA have today "refused to comment" on Kennelly's revelation.
People will say that it's sour grapes from Cork but we are not the ones bringing it up, Kennelly is. In his television interview after the match Conor Counihan was asked about the ref and said he would "leave it to the pundits". The ref involved will probably never another AI final again but that's not much use now.
Kennelly is openly boasting about going out to injure/maim an opponent. This is presumably some kind of macho BS that he brought from Aussie Rules but this isn't Aussie Rules. The way he danced that jig on the rostrum was giving the two fingers, as if to say "I got away with it, f*** you".
Another point is that Nicholas Murphy is an amateur player who has to earn a living outside the sport. How does Kennelly feel about carrying out a cowardly, pre-mediated attack on a fellow GAA player who has to go to work every day like everyone else?
I'm sure he will do some damage-limitation in the coming weeks with some mealy-mouthed statement about his words being "taken out of context" or some other crap but he can save it. He's a low-life, plain and simple.:mad:

deisedude

If he has admitted he has done wrong then surely the GAA should have the cajones to agree with him and ban the cocky tool

dartbhoy

Very pathetic by Kennelly to be blowing about going out to injure someone. People are calling for the GAA to bring a charge against him but that's not going to happen,the GAA will not want any bad publicity and when it comes to the Kennelly name and Kerry they won't upset them.

ANXIOUS

All he said was he was going to do was hit someone hard, i'd say every single person who has played at any level has had a manager say to them " lads when that first ball comes in if you don't win it. Hit your man hard and put him over the sideline" this is the exact same thing. Its not like he said he was going to get murphy and hit him high to put down a marker. he said "I'm going to charge in and hit someone at the start"

Nothing about him going in illegal which is what transpired. I can't believe people are comparing him to roy keane, who said he set out to hurt the player. Tadag set out to hit the player hard which is allowed.

Lukin he did the jig because that is what he did when he won an afl grand final medal, he always said he was going to do this.

lukin

ANXIOUS wrote: »

All he said was he was going to do was hit someone hard, i'd say every single person who has played at any level has had a manager say to them " lads when that first ball comes in if you don't win it. Hit your man hard and put him over the sideline2 this is the exact same thing. Its not like he said he was going to get murphy and hit him high to put down a marker. he said "I'm going to charge in and hit someone at the start"

Nothing about him going in illegal which is what transpired. I can't believe people are comparing him to roy keane, who said he set out to hurt the player. Tadag set out to hit the player hard which is allowed.

Lukin he did the jig because thast what he did when he won an afl grand final medal, he always said he was going to do this.

Erra go away and cop yourself on.

ANXIOUS

lukin wrote: »

Erra go away and cop yourself on.

Great agruement, let me guess you campained for coir during the lisbon referendum?

Your such a great conversationalist, we should do this again sometime.

careca

Pappy o' daniel wrote: »

This Kennelly incident.

Their diving.

Their refusal to play the Goal match which cost the charity 30k, so they could spend a week on the beer.


I have no longer any respect for this team.

THey will be devastated to hear that I reckon.

JonathanAnon

Maybe the GAA should "put down a marker" and take back his All Star.

I thought he should have been sent off for the challenge but that the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt because the game had just started. I think if the ref had thought that it was premeditated he would have seen the line. And I think he should get a suspension for this, as he is making a mockery of the rules by printing this in his book.

castie

If he doesnt get a ban then it sets down a very dangerous precedence.

Had huge respect for the guy up until I read the article, now hes just scum to me.

castie

DDC1990 wrote: »

He says he "timed it right" and caught Murphy "perfectly on the chin". His message was: "Cop that. It's different this time, boys". ..... As for this... selective editing...what a surprise. He could have said anything in any context. A load of ****e from the SIndo as usual.

How can it be selective editing? Hes hit him on the chin so hardly "timed it right" and I doubt hed be saying "perfectly" if it was accidental.

homerjay2005

some of the stuff on here is amongest the funniest i have seen. this is being blown out of all proportions, calm the F8ck down everybody.

The_Kew_Tour

Look better team won on day but that is nnot the point.

He set out to hurt Murphy thats not right either way you look at it.

Its is words not anybody elses.

Dont think the GAA will do anything though.

Im disapointed that he came out with this in first place. Think he boasting being honest and his celebration at end game now makes it look even worse and kind of two fingers to Cork.

dixiefly

homerjay2005 wrote: »

some of the stuff on here is amongest the funniest i have seen. this is being blown out of all proportions, calm the F8ck down everybody.

Rubbish.
Deliberate targeting of a player and boasting about it in his book is low life stuff. following in the traditions of our Aussie international rules opponents over the years.

If it was Francie Bellew or some of the Meath players from the eighties that said this there would be some stink about it.

They should slap a ban on him similar to what the Meath/ Mayo players got in 1996 as his actions could have caused a similar brawl.

dixiefly

adrian280582 wrote: »

Look better team won on day but that is nnot the point.

He set out to hurt Murphy thats not right either way you look at it.

Its is words not anybody elses.

Dont think the GAA will do anything though.

Im disapointed that he came out with this in first place. Think he boasting being honest and his celebration at end game now makes it look even worse and kind of two fingers to Cork.

Agreed

jaykay74

Poor lad must be short a few quid if he is stooping to that level to hawk his book.

Happy Monday

dixiefly wrote: »

Rubbish.
Deliberate targeting of a player and boasting about it in his book is low life stuff. following in the traditions of our Aussie international rules opponents over the years.

If it was Francie Bellew or some of the Meath players from the eighties that said this there would be some stink about it.

They should slap a ban on him similar to what the Meath/ Mayo players got in 1996 as his actions could have caused a similar brawl.

Dublin players carried out an all out assault in 1983 on Galway and were heralded as heroes afterwards - the 12 apostles.

But Dublin got spanked in 1984 and 1985 by Kerry when they tried out the same tactics.

Violence is part and parcel of the GAA and always will be.

ledesma

It goes on all the time. As the Sunday Indo piece said, (and it is a rag) he went out to put down a marker, a hard tackle, not deliberately to hurt anyone.

Anyway, you wouldnt know what way the Sunday Indo spun it. I'd like to hear Tadhg explain it, hopefully he'll be on the radio during the week.

Pappy o' daniel

careca wrote: »

THey will be devastated to hear that I reckon.

You think Im the only one?


Its not the first time kerry have tried to take out Murphy. In 2006 SF, He could have been seriously injured from repeated knees to the spine.
What is new is that they actually boast about it.


He says he "timed it right" and caught Murphy "perfectly on the chin"
Kennelly seems proud of this!

ledesma

Anyway, you never know what way the Sunday Indo spun it. For all you ranters in this thread, The Sunday Indo convieniently left out the very next paragraph: (this is from the book, rather than opinion)

'Cop that. It’s different this time, boys.
He went down hard and referee Marty Duffy immediately blew his whistle. Cork got the free but I’d got my man. While I hadn’t wanted to come in and seriously injure anyone, I was determined to make a statement and I think I achieved just that.'

So while he went out to put down a 'marker' as his dad did every Summer for his career, Tadhg went out to put in a tough hard tackle, but it was not premeditated to injure anyone. Spin spin spin from the Sindo.

homerjay2005

Damian Crowe has alot to answer for here too. he has played his part here.

yes tadhg could have chosen his words better, but a paper never refused ink and there has been some choice editing here. a gaa player goes out to hit somebody? wow, massive shock, considering that theres a shed load of hits in every game. he wanted a big hit and he got it. he never intended injuring players and he makes that clear. Murphy got up and was fine 2 seconds later.

ledesma

At least if he's going to write a book, he's going to be honest in it, not like that drivel Ronan O'Gara churned out.

Frogdog

Has anyone on here read Tadhg's book? No? Didn't think so.

Do ye know what he actually said, instead of believing every word in the news paper? No? Didn't think so.

Same thing happened with Mickey Harte's book re Cavanagh. Quotes taken out of context. For all we know, Tadhg could have said "The way we collided it looked like I timed it right, and unfortunately for Murphy I caught him perfectly on the chin".

Although why would we want to let the truth get in the way of a good story........

zenmonk

Yawn , this is a publicity stunt. Isn't he going back to Oz next year anyway?

mrgaa1

anyone know has Kennelly publicly denied anything that was written? Also well timed to appear in the paper after he collected an award the night previous.

Not to change topics but did anyone not tell Paul Galvin that it was a black tie affair and that razors don't cost that much. FFS one night in the year he could have tidied himself up

homerjay2005

zenmonk wrote: »

Yawn , this is a publicity stunt. Isn't he going back to Oz next year anyway?

he didnt write this. he didnt release this story. this is a journalist who has had a sneak preview of the book who decided to print a story,but also left out some key bits here and there.

Old_-_School

mrgaa1 wrote: »

anyone know has Kennelly publicly denied anything that was written? Also well timed to appear in the paper after he collected an award the night previous.

Not to change topics but did anyone not tell Paul Galvin that it was a black tie affair and that razors don't cost that much. FFS one night in the year he could have tidied himself up

I've seen a few people give out about Galvin's black tie. These people mustn't have attended a black tie event since the 1990s or else they'd have realised that there are now two options for men at black tie events - 1. the traditional bow tie or 2. the more modern black tie. Des Cahill was wearing the same and I didn't see anyone give out about his black tie.
If you were to give out about Tom O'Sullivan's gold shoes, well that's a different matter - they're indefensible!

castie

looked like he was on day 3 of a funeral piss up

gerocks

Old_-_School wrote: »

I've seen a few people give out about Galvin's black tie. These people mustn't have attended a black tie event since the 1990s or else they'd have realised that there are now two options for men at black tie events - 1. the traditional bow tie or 2. the more modern black tie. Des Cahill was wearing the same and I didn't see anyone give out about his black tie.
If you were to give out about Tom O'Sullivan's gold shoes, well that's a different matter - they're indefensible!

I heard Tom Sull wore a pair of Converse allstars!