In today’s Hospital Pass, as we reflect on a typically dramatic weekend in the GAA we shine the spotlight on two men who found themselves on the opposite sides of agony and ecstasy.
It’s hard not to feel sorry for Wexford goalkeeper Anthony Masterson after the weekend’s All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Limerick.
Masterson now has the rest of the summer to look forward to spending time with his family and having a bit of a social life – and he sure ain’t happy about it.
Wexford’s All-Ireland journey came to an end in Portlaoise on Saturday night, and it’s safe to say that everything about the occasion pissed their goalkeeper right off.
In a breathless riposte at the GAA’s treatment of the two counties, Masterson said, “It was absolutely mind-baffling. The whole country knows how bad [Fahy] is as a referee and I can’t understand how he gets games. He just gets put into big, massive Championship matches.
“It’s typical of the GAA: Wexford and Limerick stuck away into Portlaoise, given a bad referee, let them go at the Championship. Worry about all the other teams, put them in Croke Park. Pure typical, like, decisions like that.”
“Absolutely mind-baffling,” he repeated, before adding, mournfully and a bit redundantly, “We’re gone out of the Championship.”
Completely barking
Moving across the south-east to Waterford, and the bad news for whoever’s been tormenting Davy Fitzgerald with late night phone calls is that he wants them to keep it up.
“I’ve a great thing about life, you never give up on anything no matter what the story is,” said Davy, reflecting on the win over Galway on Sunday. “You fight, you fight, you fight and keep fighting even when things are bad. I’m really proud of the boys so I am.
“All of them mysterious calls in the middle of the night. I enjoy them, keep them coming! I’m not going into it, they are not worth even talking to. They can keep ringing, that’s all I’ll say to you.”
It doesn’t surprise us, if we’re being honest. It takes a certain type of madness to be a hurling goalkeeper, and it takes a another type of madness to be an inter-county GAA manager.
Davy clearly possesses both strains, so it’s impossible to escape the conclusion that he is actually mad in every way. And when you’re completely barking, late night heavy breathing down the phone is never going to bother you.
