Tiernan Kelly Incident

Well a different era but the same antics could be seen in the 1996 all Ireland final replay and they got away scot free.

The "if it happened on the street" is an unfair measure in lots of ways though isn't it? If Dáithí Burke shouldered someone on the street like he did Séamus Harnedy he'd have a case to answer yet nobody questioned why the Gardaí didn't intervene. Likewise the average rugby player. Katie Taylor would probably spend her life in a high security prison if sporting activity was held to the same standard as "on the street". The problem with arguing that it should be is that you have to accept that it applies to all aspects of the physical confrontation that is considered a natural part of sport.

How were those gouging incidents in rugby treated by that game's authorities? I imagine the perpetrators were swiftly and severely dealt with. There were no "Ah now he only grabbed his face, he didn't DELIBERATELY stick his fingers in anyone's eyes. So leave him alone"

There was an incident a few years ago when Alan Quinlan, a Munster and Ireland stalwart, brushed his hand against an opponent's face, it was picked up on camera and he was immediately suspended for "making contact in the eye area". He was bumped off the Lions tour for which he had just been selected as a result. He never actually made a Lions tour. There was no quibble either. You CAN'T DO that sort of thing.

The GAA's natural indignation at ANY comment being made about thuggery by its members is counter productive. The Association should be big enough and bold enough to insist on certain standards of behaviour by players and pitch-side support staff and to be unambiguous about how they react to infringements.

That's all.

I blame the Dubs, split them into 4 ASAP to save the game😂

I agree with you that the Gaa should deal with it as harshly as possible. That's not the point.

The point is the Taoiseach, Government ministers and clowns like Pat Kenny should keep their beaks out of it because they never opened their beaks when it happened in rugby. Double standards and that's why I would sympathise with what Dara O Se was saying.

If it was a streaker they would be taken away by the Gardai.

What are the Gardai there for if not to intervene when a member of the public comes onto the pitich with malicious intent?

The changing room aspect is important. We have all seen melee incidents where players literally sprinted 30m to get involved, in this case players were already coming together in order to go into the tunnel. It isn't clear how it started, but perhaps there is a case for sanction of the players involved there.

Well the remarks were aimed at O'Rourke and his team and he was retired by then.

That 1996 Meath team had about 5 or 6 teenagers. Lads literally just out of minor the previous year. I think Mayo thought they could bully them and got a shock.

Definitely one of the worst articles I've read on the game/incident.

I seen this lad didn't like it up off the ground , his club backing him and playing the victim just as some other posters here predicted

defending the undefendable just makes you look like a scumbag like kelly lads

as for the sad sacks blaming it on the troubles or the british or what ever that's really really pathetic , scum bags will be scumbags weather you people try to excuse them or not , if the gaa tolerate this sort of trash on its national stage then its time to start cutting funding

He did nothing bar defend himself. If I ran up and shouldered you into the back in a club match I'm sure you'd just smile at me and carry on into the dressing room. Like hell you would, you'd square up like 99.9% of players would. Comer didn't throw a punch, headlock someone or stick his fingers in someones eyes. He grabbed a person who blindsided him by the jersey. If that's worthy of a ban then then half the Armagh team should be banned for good.

This clip shows Comer running after an Armagh player to challenge him then push him and throw his shoulder into another player. He is no innocent in this, he was also giving plenty of lip.

I would ban Armagh from next year’s championship if I was president of the gaa.

It wasn't a jibe, and was not directed at you personally. I read your post and saw something in it that I wanted to discuss, that's all. I think you read my post and assumed it was me having a go at you. It wasn't!

And I would put a lifetime covid lockdown 5km ban on TK, he shouldn’t be allowed outside Armagh again. Let him gouge eyes of his own people up there.