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Dublin GAA Discussion Thread - Capital Punishment

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  • Registered Users Posts: 18,013 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    TallGlass wrote: »
    I take it you mean should have won?

    I suppose, either way there's going to be a lot of moaning about it.

    corrected that in case there was any doubt.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users Posts: 18,921 ✭✭✭✭BonnieSituation


    It is easy to sort fitness and that would be no issue, match fitness is another issue and general ball work would be a huge issue.

    The huge issue will be relying on his return.
    TallGlass wrote: »
    Is anyone else thinking that if Connolly doesn't get banned after appealing and we go onto win, that we will never here the end of it, that we shouldn't have won?
    Is anyone else thinking that if Connolly get banned after appealing and Dublin go onto lose, that we will never here the end of it, that Dublin should have won and the rest of GAA conspired against a hard done by Dublin player

    We'll never hear the end of it anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Past30Now


    He should get a ban, one game or maybe two, but 12 weeks, and not allowed to train with club or county, is deeply unfair. Assuming the ban stands, he'll be unavailable up to the semi final (if we qualify) and under prepared for any matches that follow.

    No one should touch an official, but the officials have to protect players like DC. In the five seconds before he put his hand on the official, he was manhandled by three of the Carlow lads, and this is a fraction of what he has to deal with constantly. He's no angel, but he gets very little protection from officials.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭bruschi


    Past30Now wrote: »
    He should get a ban, one game or maybe two, but 12 weeks, and not allowed to train with club or county, is deeply unfair. Assuming the ban stands, he'll be unavailable up to the semi final (if we qualify) and under prepared for any matches that follow.

    No one should touch an official, but the officials have to protect players like DC. In the five seconds before he put his hand on the official, he was manhandled by three of the Carlow lads, and this is a fraction of what he has to deal with constantly. He's no angel, but he gets very little protection from officials.

    how is he any different to any other top class county forward? Bernard Brogan gets attention, you dont see him reacting? He gives as good as he gets, and often times he is the one instigating the off the ball stuff. He gets as much protection as any other player gets. The difference being, he reacts much differently to other players.

    And even in that case, the ref and linesman gave the decision to Carlow. Connolly dropped the ball but went back to take it again and the Carlow players werer getting the ball back off him. this sort of thing happens in every game, if you concede a free/lineball and keep hold of the ball, it's inevitable that the opposing players try take it back. It was totally of his own making, he did not have to pick up the ball again once the decision went against him, its not like the players went after him for no reason. And once they got the ball they had no interest in him.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,030 ✭✭✭KrustyUCC


    I think keeping the ball would stop quickly if players were penalised 13 metres more often

    You teach under 12s free given against you, put the ball down and get back into defence

    Interesting about the ban including training and club

    I wasn't aware it was that far reaching


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  • Registered Users Posts: 18,013 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Past30Now wrote: »
    He should get a ban, one game or maybe two, but 12 weeks, and not allowed to train with club or county, is deeply unfair. Assuming the ban stands, he'll be unavailable up to the semi final (if we qualify) and under prepared for any matches that follow.

    No one should touch an official, but the officials have to protect players like DC. In the five seconds before he put his hand on the official, he was manhandled by three of the Carlow lads, and this is a fraction of what he has to deal with constantly. He's no angel, but he gets very little protection from officials.

    All good forwards get treatment from about U14 on and maybe before that even. Like another poster said he should not have picked up the ball after the line ball was given against him. It is in black and white in the rule book and is being enforced this year IMO rightly so. It seems he stayed mouthing to that official even after this incident. As well it is not like he he has not got a history of over reacting to issues that other top forwards take in there stride.

    What must really annoy the Dublin managment is the stupidity of it all in a match that did not matter as it was always going to result in a Dublin victory. He should have been zoned into getting through that match and watching himself like a hawk with the black card issue hanging over him. When the line ball was given against him he should have moved away and not got involved

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭Past30Now


    bruschi wrote: »
    how is he any different to any other top class county forward? Bernard Brogan gets attention, you dont see him reacting?

    I think (with admittedly blue tinted glasses on) that he gets more off the ball attention than most if not all the other top class county forwards. He's responsible for a lot of that, but at the same stage that doesn't mean he shouldn't be protected just because it's DC on the receiving end of treatment.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    I think people taking issue with the 12 weeks really have an issue with the rules rather than the D Connolly incident. If people want to change that they can put it to congress etc.

    Could Connolly play with the Dublin hurlers for the 12 weeks?


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,013 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves



    Could Connolly play with the Dublin hurlers for the 12 weeks?

    AFAIK he cannot, the ban ecompasses all codes at all levels. He is also banned from all structured training at club and county level

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users Posts: 21,078 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Could Connolly play with the Dublin hurlers for the 12 weeks?

    Even the Dublin hurlers dont play hurling for Dublin. In any case, I think it would be best for everyone if we avoided handing Dermo a weapon.


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  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 10,952 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    PARlance wrote:
    Even the Dublin hurlers dont play hurling for Dublin. In any case, I think it would be best for everyone if we avoided handing Dermo a weapon.

    Sure all he needs is a pen and a trip Mayo to keep a footballer busy for 12 weeks
    The pen is mightier than the sword and all that !


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,078 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Stoner wrote: »
    Sure all he needs is a pen and a trip Mayo to keep a footballer busy for 12 weeks
    The pen is mightier than the sword and all that !

    Mayo's not that big, it wouldn't take him 12 weeks to get all the team's autographs ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Is anyone else thinking that if Connolly get banned after appealing and Dublin go onto lose, that we will never here the end of it, that Dublin should have won and the rest of GAA conspired against a hard done by Dublin player

    Nah. We leave the whinging about media conspiracies to the Mayo crowd. :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    I have stated many times here and in other threads players like Connolly, Gouch, Murphy, McBrearty get no protection from referees. It has always been the same Canavan, Duff, Joyce all got plenty of sly belts. That is wrong but wont change. There are about 4 or 5 decent referees on the go and thats it. That lines man on Saturday seems to attract controversy and the referee is not much better.

    The fact that the incident was dealt with at the time has me thinking there is politics at play here. Brannagan didnt bring it to referees attention at the time so the referee "dealt" with it. Why did Mr. Brannagan not put up his flag then if he was pushed? Who got to the referee after the game?

    At nearly 30 years of age Connolly should have more kop on. As I said above He is unfairly targeted. It is time the county board stood up for him whetehr there is an appeal or not.

    Until he can calm himself down he is a massive liability and maybe Dublin should just plan for the rest of the season without him.

    I know I will be looking more closely now at games to highlight the inconsistency of some pundits. Actually Joe Brolly was decent on Sean O'Rourke today with his views.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭bruschi


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    Nah. We leave the whinging about media conspiracies to the Mayo crowd. :D

    Your post would look so much better if this wasn't the very next post!
    LeoB wrote: »
    has me thinking there is politics at play here.

    Who got to the referee after the game?

    I know I will be looking more closely now at games to highlight the inconsistency of some pundits.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,013 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    LeoB wrote: »
    I have stated many times here and in other threads players like Connolly, Gouch, Murphy, McBrearty get no protection from referees. It has always been the same Canavan, Duff, Joyce all got plenty of sly belts. That is wrong but wont change. There are about 4 or 5 decent referees on the go and thats it. That lines man on Saturday seems to attract controversy and the referee is not much better.

    The fact that the incident was dealt with at the time has me thinking there is politics at play here. Brannagan didnt bring it to referees attention at the time so the referee "dealt" with it. Why did Mr. Brannagan not put up his flag then if he was pushed? Who got to the referee after the game?

    At nearly 30 years of age Connolly should have more kop on. As I said above He is unfairly targeted. It is time the county board stood up for him whetehr there is an appeal or not.

    Until he can calm himself down he is a massive liability and maybe Dublin should just plan for the rest of the season without him.

    I know I will be looking more closely now at games to highlight the inconsistency of some pundits. Actually Joe Brolly was decent on Sean O'Rourke today with his views.


    Of course Brolly was ''decent'' he articulated your point of view. As is stated by many all top forwards have to live with treatment. Its the nature of the game unless we turn it into tiddltwinks. You can look at the treatment meated out to O'Connor, Murphy, Gooch, Greany, Brogan etc etc. But they live with it. Connolly gets no more or no less but he reacts to it.

    What happened last Sunday had nothing to do with treatment he was meated out. He caused a furore by picking up a line ball given against him and he then tried to intimidate the linesman.

    You wonder how it came to the refs attention. Connolly continued to barage the linesman after that. Maybe after the game the ref asked the linesman ''what was all that about'' and became aware of the incident then. It is the refs job to protect his officials he may have mentioned it then in the report. Brannigan not bringing it to the refs attention means the matter was not dealt with. If the ref booked him or yellow carded him it may have been deemed to have been dealt with. If he red carded as happened to Paul Galvin in 2008 the GAA could also carry it forward.

    I think that Dublin GAA are in a quandry. If they appeal they are condoning what he did. This pulls the rug from under every referee that is reffing games at any level in Dublin. They are condoning the intimidation of officials.

    The pundits that you are angry with just have a different point of view to Brolly.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users Posts: 18,921 ✭✭✭✭BonnieSituation


    The DCB aren't in a quandary. Quell this crap and accept the ban.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    LeoB wrote: »
    I have stated many times here and in other threads players like Connolly, Gouch, Murphy, McBrearty get no protection from referees. It has always been the same Canavan, Duff, Joyce all got plenty of sly belts. That is wrong but wont change. There are about 4 or 5 decent referees on the go and thats it. That lines man on Saturday seems to attract controversy and the referee is not much better.

    The fact that the incident was dealt with at the time has me thinking there is politics at play here. Brannagan didnt bring it to referees attention at the time so the referee "dealt" with it. Why did Mr. Brannagan not put up his flag then if he was pushed? Who got to the referee after the game?

    At nearly 30 years of age Connolly should have more kop on. As I said above He is unfairly targeted. It is time the county board stood up for him whetehr there is an appeal or not.


    Until he can calm himself down he is a massive liability and maybe Dublin should just plan for the rest of the season without him.

    I know I will be looking more closely now at games to highlight the inconsistency of some pundits. Actually Joe Brolly was decent on Sean O'Rourke today with his views.


    I think someone pointed out a while back on telly about a forwarded who was eventually sent off, who did ALL the fouling up until he was sent off, him of his marker?

    Look at sean cavanagh and lee keegan in the quarter finals last year, keegan was persistently fouling cavanagh off the ball. He could have earned 4 yellows in the first half but neither the ref or the linesman would call it when everyone else in the stadium could see it. Eventually the ref bottles it and hands out two yellow cards, which is what keegan wanted and then cavanagh then walks on another bull**** yellow. Mission accomplished.


    The rules are supposed to discourage foul play by making the risk not worth the reward but the officials are doing the opposite, they are rewarding persistent fouling. Every teams is at it but it disproportionately affects the best players in the country.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Bambi wrote: »
    I think someone pointed out a while back on telly about a forwarded who was eventually sent off, who did ALL the fouling up until he was sent off, him of his marker?

    Look at sean cavanagh and lee keegan in the quarter finals last year, keegan was persistently fouling cavanagh off the ball. He could have earned 4 yellows in the first half but neither the ref or the linesman would call it when everyone else in the stadium could see it. Eventually the ref bottles it and hands out two yellow cards, which is what keegan wanted and then cavanagh then walks on another bull**** yellow. Mission accomplished.


    The rules are supposed to discourage foul play by making the risk not worth the reward but the officials are doing the opposite, they are rewarding persistent fouling. Every teams is at it but it disproportionately affects the best players in the country.

    This is important for me if the sport is to progress. Is the tournament better without Connolly? His Dublin status only matters to idiots incapable of seeing the bigger picture. DC will eventually retire and rival players will still be getting off with winding up quality players at the expense of watching talent flourish. Just listen to some of Goochs comments on the abuse he took. Is that really not worth addressing ?

    Connolly was stupid and has form in reacting. But the "part and parcel" of the game horsesh*t excuse for the abuse top quality players take has got to stop. It's actually quite retarded for a sport to allow a strategy that prevents its most talented stars from shining on the big stage. It also facilitates anti- team bias from rival fans pretending to be outraged , while excusing/ignoring other players that don't bother them.

    Part of the problem is that it seems to be trial by RTE that stokes the pitchforks and Springfielders get their knickers in a twist. There is an appeal procedure for everybody to use, not just players who rival fans aren't bothered with. Connolly has every right to explore this option. It's not like he nearly picked up the ref like a mayo player last year.. Funny how concerned people are now with officials once a Dub is involved!


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,921 ✭✭✭✭BonnieSituation


    Drumpot wrote: »
    This is important for me, if the sport is to progress. Is the tournament better without Connolly? His Dublin status only matters to idiots incapable of seeing the bigger picture. DC will eventually retire and rival players will still be getting off with winding up quality players at the expense of watching talent flourish.

    Connolly was stupid and has form in reacting. But the "part and parcel" of the game horsesh*t excuse for the abuse top quality players take has got to stop. It's actually quite retarded for a sport to allow a strategy that prevents its most talented stars from shining on the big stage. It also facilitates anti- team bias from rival fans pretending to be outraged , while excusing other players that don't bother them.

    Part of the problem is that it seems to be trial by RTE that stokes the pitchforks and Springfielders get their knickers in a twist. There is an appeal procedure for everybody to use, not just players who rival fans aren't bothered with. Connolly has every right to explore this option. It's not like he nearly picked up the ref like a mayo player last year.. Funny how concerned people are now with officials once a Dub is involved!

    I mostly agree with what you are trying to say here. But I really believe we should leave it. Dermo isn't going to learn. And some Dubs are sick of it. I don't give a crap what other counties think.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    I mostly agree with what you are trying to say here. But I really believe we should leave it. Dermo isn't going to learn. And some Dubs are sick of it. I don't give a crap what other counties think.

    That's the problem. I don't think he will learn at this stage. He is who he is and unfortunelay the powers that be are not interested in protecting players of his quality..


    I actually agree with you and think we should leave it. just fed up reading bullsh*t anger from rival fans who don't realise their anger is just spite, not some sort of demand for righteous justice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    Bambi wrote: »
    Look at sean cavanagh and lee keegan in the quarter finals last year, keegan was persistently fouling cavanagh off the ball. He could have earned 4 yellows in the first half but neither the ref or the linesman would call it when everyone else in the stadium could see it. Eventually the ref bottles it and hands out two yellow cards, which is what keegan wanted and then cavanagh then walks on another bull**** yellow. Mission accomplished.

    So keegan - the defender and go-to man marker - wants to be on a yellow card against tyrone - the kings of getting people sent off... :rolleyes:

    Listen, watch the thing back in the cold light of day, it was Cavanagh who instigated the incident with the two yellow cards. Id imagine he was told to get into the game by his manager, and master of dark arts, mickey harte. Keegan gave him his own back (and rightly so) and the two of them got carded. Cavanagh then put in a crazy high challenge and got himself sent off, while keegan kept out of trouble and kicked two points against a tyrone team fighting tooth and nail to stay alive - no mean feat. To say keegan done anything wrong there is actually pretty poor form for any honest gaa man.

    The worst part of it is, you have lads talking about media campaigns against Connollly, yet they are doing the very same against Keegan. The fact that his peers voted him player of the year at the same time, only highlights how biased it is. You cant have it every way.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,921 ✭✭✭✭BonnieSituation


    You really can't have it every way. Terrible eh? And I do like cake.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    Drumpot wrote: »
    This is important for me if the sport is to progress. Is the tournament better without Connolly? His Dublin status only matters to idiots incapable of seeing the bigger picture. DC will eventually retire and rival players will still be getting off with winding up quality players at the expense of watching talent flourish. Just listen to some of Goochs comments on the abuse he took. Is that really not worth addressing ?

    Connolly was stupid and has form in reacting. But the "part and parcel" of the game horsesh*t excuse for the abuse top quality players take has got to stop. It's actually quite retarded for a sport to allow a strategy that prevents its most talented stars from shining on the big stage. It also facilitates anti- team bias from rival fans pretending to be outraged , while excusing/ignoring other players that don't bother them.

    Part of the problem is that it seems to be trial by RTE that stokes the pitchforks and Springfielders get their knickers in a twist. There is an appeal procedure for everybody to use, not just players who rival fans aren't bothered with. Connolly has every right to explore this option. It's not like he nearly picked up the ref like a mayo player last year.. Funny how concerned people are now with officials once a Dub is involved!

    The game will get on fine without anyone. No player should be spoken of in such terms. To be frank about it, he has been non-existent in plenty of games, no more than our own Aidan O'Shea, for me to know that Dublin will get on fine without him.

    Personally, I think some Dublin fans are selling themselves short a bit, trying to defend the indefensible. Dublin are a proud gaa county. Diarmuid Connolly is not bigger than Dublin, so stop treating him like he is. It is reminiscent of the whole Liverpool-Luis Suarez bite debacle, and all that proved was that Liverpool were in fact a small time club.

    The 12 weeks might be excessive, but that is the rule at present and it cant be changed in the next few days.
    The stuff about the Cillian O'Connor photo doing the rounds is cringe worthy to be honest about it. It is clear that the context is different, as the ref is trying to hear what he is saying. Come on lads, you are better than this sh*te


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭bruschi


    Drumpot wrote: »
    This is important for me if the sport is to progress.

    But the "part and parcel" of the game horsesh*t excuse for the abuse top quality players take has got to stop. It's actually quite retarded for a sport to allow a strategy that prevents its most talented stars from shining on the big stage.

    You mightnt like it but thats sport. In soccer, what happens the top players? They get a clatter as early as possible "to let them know they are in a game". Aussie Rules, constantly happens, they have taggers on the top players, a specific man marking duty who will do anything to curb the opponent. American Footballer, they try decapitate the opposing QB on every play and hamper his abilities. Even bloody cricket, the sledging that goes on to put off an opponent.

    The GAA isnt unique in this regards. People may not like it, but sport is competitive, and it is that competitiveness that brings it entertainment. Obviously there are lines that shouldnt be crossed, sledging being a big factor these days in all sports with that. But opposing teams do whatever they can to try stop their opponents winning. People may not like it, the top players may not like it, but opponents in every sport will always try level the playing field no matter what way they can.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    The game will get on fine without anyone. No player should be spoken of in such terms. To be frank about it, he has been non-existent in plenty of games, no more than our own Aidan O'Shea, for me to know that Dublin will get on fine without him.

    Personally, I think some Dublin fans are selling themselves short a bit, trying to defend the indefensible. Dublin are a proud gaa county. Diarmuid Connolly is not bigger than Dublin, so stop treating him like he is. It is reminiscent of the whole Liverpool-Luis Suarez bite debacle, and all that proved was that Liverpool were in fact a small time club.

    The 12 weeks might be excessive, but that is the rule at present and it cant be changed in the next few days.
    The stuff about the Cillian O'Connor photo doing the rounds is cringe worthy to be honest about it. It is clear that the context is different, as the ref is trying to hear what he is saying. Come on lads, you are better than this sh*te

    I wasn't defending Connolly , I was putting context on the hysteria surrounding the case...

    You can accept he was wrong , accept he has to be punished and highlight the fact that he was reacting to abuse that's accepted in the game.


  • Registered Users Posts: 644 ✭✭✭dog_pig


    Drumpot wrote: »
    I wasn't defending Connolly , I was putting context on the hysteria surrounding the case...

    You can accept he was wrong , accept he has to be punished and highlight the fact that he was reacting to abuse that's accepted in the game.

    Thank Christ Connolly decided to lay a comforting hand upon the linesman's breast, otherwise the shocking revelation of this endemic abuse may never have seen the light of day.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27,034 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    I mostly agree with what you are trying to say here. But I really believe we should leave it. Dermo isn't going to learn. And some Dubs are sick of it. I don't give a crap what other counties think.


    There are two sides to this and I am in two minds.

    Firstly, Connolly has been stupid time and again, rising to provocation because of his short temper and it has been evident for some time that he is going to get done by the officials sooner or later. A lot of that is his own fault and you could see an incident coming last Saturday. Plenty of people in the stands were shouting at him to clam down. He needs to learn a lesson, and this is a good one, a pity that it isn't six weeks instead of twelve.

    Secondly, it is about time that the referees and officials have got some protection. Too often I have seen players shouting at referees, running up to them shouting in their face - Donaghy being a leading example, and some of the Mayo boys as well - and if the Connolly incident sets the standard for the summer, you can bet that Gavin will have the rest of the Dubs behaving themselves. Let some other team take the next fall.

    On that basis, it would be better for the DCB to just leave it.

    On the other hand, there are a number of disquieting aspects to this. Firstly, the incident was seen and dealt with by the officials. In soccer, if the referee has fully seen an incident and dealt with it, it cannot be revisited (this is changing for diving next season). If he hasn't been fully assessed by the referee, it can be revisited. It is likely therefore that no action could be taken in soccer. In rugby, a citing commissioner can revisit issues of foul play warranting a red card even if they have been dealt with by the referee. This was not an incident of foul play. So looking at those two sports, the circumstances in which incidents can be revisited having been dealt with by the referee are limited and it is unlikely that Connolly would be facing a ban, certainly not one as severe as this. Joe Brolly put it well when he described the circumstances of the incident appearing in the referees report. I agree and I find it strange that in effect the referee and linesman have both admitted to being incompetent. They should certainly be dropped from the inter-county referee rota. There are grounds of appeal in relation to how the retrospective action was dealt with.

    Secondly, it has been amazing to watch the commentary from various pundits and posters from other counties who have suggested that Connolly should just accept all the off-the-ball fouling, dragging and assault that he is subject to game after game, because it is part of the game and/or all forwards are subject to it. Seriously, foul play is acceptable because everyone does it????
    The low-level of his interaction with the linesman compared to the high-level of the off-the-ball stuff is quite a contrast. How so many believe that this is an acceptable part of the game is incredible. It gives me some sympathy for what Connolly has been through, and the element of solidarity with him in pursuing an appeal (even if it is a futile one) needs to be considered.

    Thirdly, highlighting the inconsistent nature of punishments - e.g. Connolly missing three Championship games while someone who failed a drugs test missing none - could also warrant an appeal. It was only a few weeks ago that many pundits were criticising the severity of the twelve weeks when it was the Tipp goalie who was suffering from it.

    At the end of the day, from a purely selfish Dublin perspective, the judgement must be Gavin's. Will accepting the punishment improve Connolly as a player and create the incentive for change in him and bring the team together - all of us against the world? On the other hand, will a failure to defend Connolly have him walk away and splinter the team and can we manage without him? I don't know the answer to that and we will see what happens.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,957 ✭✭✭Dots1982


    blanch152 wrote: »
    On the other hand, there are a number of disquieting aspects to this.

    What I find disquieting is a significant number of Dublin fans seem to think because the ref didn't enforce the rules, that they are implying that it should amount to a get out of jail free card for Connolly.

    The referee and linesman messed up and they should be spoken to and left off the referees intercounty roster if deemed correct.

    However it is not connected to diarmuid connolly and the punishment he has to face for breaking a clear rule. They are two separate issues.

    Also how Rugby and Soccer treat their disciplinary issues is of as much relevance as me saying that if Connolly pushed and shouted and pointed at a course rules official in pro golf he may well receive a life time ban.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    bruschi wrote: »
    You mightnt like it but thats sport. In soccer, what happens the top players? They get a clatter as early as possible "to let them know they are in a game". Aussie Rules, constantly happens, they have taggers on the top players, a specific man marking duty who will do anything to curb the opponent. American Footballer, they try decapitate the opposing QB on every play and hamper his abilities. Even bloody cricket, the sledging that goes on to put off an opponent.

    The GAA isnt unique in this regards. People may not like it, but sport is competitive, and it is that competitiveness that brings it entertainment. Obviously there are lines that shouldnt be crossed, sledging being a big factor these days in all sports with that. But opposing teams do whatever they can to try stop their opponents winning. People may not like it, the top players may not like it, but opponents in every sport will always try level the playing field no matter what way they can.

    Quoting other sports that equally fail to protect their top athletes doesn't really address the problem. And how is accepting the tactic remotely progressive? So other sports are equally pathetic at protecting top athletes, so why bother ? Watch Maradonna in 1982 World Cup and again in 1986 and tell me that the sport didn't give him more protection that allowed him to flourish? Can you imagine how messi or ronaldo would of done in the 70s?

    What would be more beneficial for the sport? Protect its most talented players that people pay to watch or to allow teams abuse them to level the playing fields? Surely as abusive techniques change the rules should change to reflect it? Even the dinosaurs in the English FA are trying to address the diving issue in their sport and that's extremely hard to judge.

    Can't believe I even have to ask the question. Nothing would ever change in life or sport if people just accepted "well that's just the way it is".

    As a person who played a more physical game in soccer and Gaelic , I would prefer if the game protected talented players more. I felt under pressure to kick, insult and do all sorts of things to good players which ruined the experience for myself and prob the players I was told to target. I can't understand how any rational person could think it's not worth addressing.

    Im surprised nobody has mentioned the black card that was actually introduced to help deal with this sort of stuff. I don't believe the problem is completely at the door of the GAA, but the hysterics of fans and Pundits to changes to rules don't make it easy.

    If there were repercussions for these offences they would stop. Imagine those Wexford lads got some sort of retrospective bans. Teams couldn't try to push players to the brink and we wouldn't get players losing the head. Why is it acceptable to try and drive a player mad and then when they react there's retarded commentary as if a player lashed out for no logical reason?

    One of the underlying issues is resistance to change for different reasons . You have most teams who have more to lose By quality players being defended. Then you have old school fans/players that accept the abuse just because they don't want to sound soft or just don't know any better.


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