A great day’s hurling in Thurles yesterday with a thrilling end to a pulsating game between Waterford and Clare.
What a pity it’s been overshadowed this morning by the controversy surrounding the exchange of comments during the game between Davy Fitzgerald and Eoin Kelly.
I didn’t see the ‘offending’ piece on The Sunday Game, but from what I've been told it was presented as though it was a passage lifted from the closing stages of the Eucharistic Congress in Croke Park on Sunday, as opposed to picking up heat-of-the-moment comments from a manager we all know to be, well, just a little bit fiery.
What does RTE expect from a sideline microphone in the vicinity of Davy Fitzgerald during the white heat of a Munster senior hurling championship game? Prayerful exhortation?
Yes they picked up what they picked up and yes, because of the bit of spice in it, it was worthy of an airing.
But in all seriousness, why are people getting up on the high horses over this?
Of more relevance to me was the John Mullane incident at the end of the game. I’ve come to know John Mullane reasonably well over the last few years and a nicer, more genuine guy you couldn't meet.
During the week leading up to the game he had been told by a source in whom he has absolute trust that a few disparaging comments had supposedly been passed about himself and a few of his teammates by their former manager.
John was upset, reasonably so in the circumstances, and at the end of the game made his way across the field to celebrate Waterford’s great win in front of the man who now manages Clare.
It was out of character for John Mullane, a man whose character was proven beyond question several years ago with the manner in which he accepted what was a harsh suspension that caused him to miss an All-Ireland semi-final for Waterford.
Sunday’s reaction is an act John probably now regrets, though I have to say – if I believed (as John did) something similar had been said about me, I would probably have acted in exactly the same way.
Immediately afterwards Davy moved to defuse the situation, was at pains to point out that he had never uttered anything critical of John Mullane.
“I think John Mullane was told something that was untrue," he said; "Listen, let me say this 100 per cent on the record – John Mullane is one of the best players I’ve ever seen and has another two or three years in him big-time if he wants. Sometimes people tell players things to get them riled up and to perform in a game. I have a lot of respect for those guys in there (the Waterford dressing-room)."
The thing is, we can do without all this nonsense, the debate over the kind of language Davy Fitzgerald uses on the sideline, the debate over what he might or might not have said before games, the debate even over whether or not he should become engaged with opposing players in ANY kind of banter during a game.
Can we lighten up and lay off? Davy is what he is; let no-one on The Sunday Game or any other game get righteous about a clip that THEY chose to pick out and highlight, a clip that otherwise would never have seen the light of day. It was spicy, that was all, definitely not a hanging offence.
As for John Mullane; for the grace, the humility and the honesty he has shown in putting his hand up and admitting that as a role model for youngsters he got it wrong in the way he celebrated in front of Davy, the guy has gone up even higher in my estimation.
I hope that one day he finally wins that All-Ireland medal he so richly deserve but even if he were to never win another game in Waterford colours, John Mullane has shown again and again – he is pure class. We learned that again yesterday with his display on the field, we learned it again today.
The game? Look, the best way to see what you missed if you missed it is to go to RTE Player.
And no, you won’t have to bar the kids from the room. Not yet.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/37lq5VO80kI/post.aspx
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