In today’s Hospital Pass, we discuss just what got Joe Dooley so mad, faulty ticket scanners at Croke Park and revolutionary training methods from Mayo.
It’s fair to say that if there is one word that encapsulates the GAA season so far, it’s acrimony. Hardly a day has gone by in the last month or so without a blazing row breaking out in the various factions of the GAA world.
So far this season, we’ve had Carthygate and Twittergate and only this weekend, McGuinnessgate, with the Donegal manager letting fly at the know-it-all pundits in RTE for their scathing analysis of the northerners’ style of play and their assertion that nobody was deserving of the man of the match award in the recent Donegal v Antrim clash… despite having already given the individual gong to what must have been a highly disillusioned Ryan Bradley.
The latest in the long list of counties to feel wronged is Offaly, but it’s at their own people with whom they have a bug to bear rather than the association itself or the naysayers at our state broadcaster.
The word ‘gate’ is overused in relation to scandals of all sorts, but it is particularly relevant in this case considering that actual gates proved to be a problem in the first place. That’s right, according to Faithful manager Joe Dooley, gates all around O’Connor Park were locked when the hurlers turned up to train there on Saturday.
That was just one of the grievances outlined by Dooley in a strongly-worded letter to the county board, which also mentions the fact that players and trainers were asked to leave the ground, while they were issued with threats that their cars would be removed from outside.
Innovation? Ask Mayo
As a humorous aside, mention of GAA and car parks brings to mind the revolutionary training methods of the Mayo footballers in the early 90s. Apparently, the then-manager Brian McDonald had his lads push cars around Dunnes Stores car park in an effort to improve their physical conditioning.
Around the same time, McDonald also had his players perform a drill in which they would leap into the air and catch imaginary balls to improve their fielding technique. Rumour has it that a furious Anthony Finnerty left the pitch to be greeted by McDonald on his way to the dressing room. “Where are you off to?” said McDonald. “To get my gloves,” replied Finnerty. “Can’t you see the balls are soaking wet?!”
Anyway, back to Offaly and Dooley has obviously and justifiably had enough, feeling moved enough to say: “It is very clear to all involved that throughout this year and last that we are not wanted in O’Connor Park. Every reason seems to be used to keep us out of the pitch or off the pitch during training sessions.”
Getting into a ground might also prove problematic for fans of the Dublin football team, after it was announced that the capacity of Hill 16 will be reduced to 8,000 for the mouthwatering Leinster semi-final against Kildare later this month.
Health and safety concerns over a problem with ticket scanners have forced the Leinster council into action and as a result, 4,000 metropolitan supporters will be conspicuous by their absence from the hill on Sunday week.
If there is a positive to be drawn from these developments, however, at least it might make the notoriously tardy Dubs fans leave the pubs in time for the throw-in.
