Thuggery at end of Tyrone Club Final

[Midman]

Awful scenes but one thing that stood out for me was that both teams went out and played football in extra time. Nothing cynical at all. "Forget that shit, there's a cup to be won here". Fair play for that.

Quote of the day, that was very encouraging to see!

[agorm]

I note that the thuggery exhibited at the end of the Tyrone county final was not even mentioned on the RTE Sports News. I can just imagine if it was the Meath or Dublin finals it would be top of the Sportsnews just like Parnell Park earlier in the year.

Not exactly sure what your point is here (if you have one) but a Meath Dublin intercounty clash is going to be more high profile than a club game in Tyrone. As Playwiththewind pointed out, it'll be well publicised in the days to come.

My points are: First of all, the incidents do need to be dealt with and not swept under the carpet as was indicated with the non mention on the news. With no Sunday Game there is less opportunity to highlight this on PrimeTime and weed out the thug that gave the head butt.

Secondly, whether we like it or not, some counties such as Meath and Dublin will get stuff like this publicised much easier - maybe because of historical rivalries etc. It is unfair but not altogether surprising. I think that the Parnell Park episode torpedoed Meath's season but that's for another thread sometime.

However, considering this is Tyrone who themselves are now high profile and remembering their supporters endless reaction to much much tamer incidents in 1996 I think it should certainly be noted, highlighted and dealt with as their supporters would certainly call for if they were on the receiving end.

I would hardly call the Meath player stamping on the Tyrone players head in 1996 much tamer than todays headbutt.

A definite headbutt (in fact two) is certainly a lot worse than a so called stamp that never happened. It was very clumsy by Martin O' Connell. I would admiut that but it was never a stamp.
Anyway, I wont be drawn into a debate on a 12 year old game - I would just hope that this will be dealt with. If it was on the street, the gardai would be involved.

Martin McConnell did it on purpose!!!! Perhaps the Garda should have intervened there , He would have deserved to be put up in front of a judge!

Good man - I am sure you were there and have analysed it several times since to be in a position to make such an insightful comment. I really dont want to get into a discussion on a game 12 years ago.

BTW, what's your opinion on the head butts? I would have thought you would have had an opinion on them considering they happened today and you are probably from Tyrone yourself. Were you at the County Final?

Was at Croke Park in 1996 to se McConnells deliberate stamp and was there today to see McGinn 's deliberate attack on the Clonoe player. I . unlike you. am willing to call incidents as they are, irrespective of whether the thugs are from my county or not!!

I would call it if it was true and have called it for several other Meath players over the years. I was at the game of course and many many other games in which he played and in my opinion it was not deliberate - he was getting up  from the ground and looking away. On top of that, nothing in his long and distinguished career indicate that he would resort to thuggery.

Anyway, I wont be commenting anymore, you can continue moaning about that game for another 50 years 

[agorm]

We have disgraced ourselves again. If Noel Mc Ginn does not receive at least a 12 month suspension, we will have no credibility left when we talk of abolishing thuggery from our games. There can be no acceptable excuse for his behaviour

Well said.

[Jinxy]

Martin McConnell did it on purpose!!!! Perhaps the Garda should have intervened there , He would have deserved to be put up in front of a judge!

It's Martin O'Connell. If you ever have trouble remembering his name again, just check out the team of the millennium.

[AFS]

How did this discussion about Sunday's ugly scenes turn into another whinge about a game 12 years ago?

For what its worth I reckon 48 week bans for McGinn and the Clonoe player should cool them down, and if there are any other incidents in the scuffle that can been identified subsequent bans should follow too.

It may be harsh on the individuals involved but an example should be set here that this crap will not be tolerated. This was the televised club final of the national champions, these teams had a special responsibility to behave in a manner befitting our association and they failed miserably.

[Puckoon]

We have disgraced ourselves again. If Noel Mc Ginn does not receive at least a 12 month suspension, we will have no credibility left when we talk of abolishing thuggery from our games. There can be no acceptable excuse for his behaviour

Well said.

The disgrace here falls at Noel "the Bull McCabe" McGinn. In fairness he is no idiot - and has realised probably even before he's seen the footage that he acted in an animalistic way.

The GAA will not be disgraced as  I fully expect the book will be thrown at him - but for a poster to start the thread just to "even up" the national media frenzy that accompanied the dubs and meath - is just stupid.

In the days to come there will be plenty of media reaction - but lets get this right, it was a club final - rarely making the same day evening news as say a clash of the leinster heavyweights and old rivals.

Agorm - catch yourself on - you will get plenty of "highlighting" of this incident in the days to come. Just make sure that having f**king whined on here about it - you go out and buy ALL the papers so you dont miss any slight on man/club/county/province - as this is obviously what irks you the most.


McGinn was wrong - no one knows it more than himself.

[fearglasmor]

I cant believe some of the ambivalence being shown towards this incident by some posters. The manager and the player who seem to fancy themselves as UFC contenders should both get life time bans. Good GAA men my bollix.  This shit should be dealt with ruthlessly, not just in this case but anywhere it arises and anyone who thinks arguing over a 12 year old incident involving two players in the course of a game has even the slightest relevance to what happened here is a complete gobshite.

[ONeill]

McGinn's a loose cannon and would have taken a similar line as a player, bordering on thuggery at times.

[bridgegael]

I cant believe some of the ambivalence being shown towards this incident by some posters. The manager and the player who seem to fancy themselves as UFC contenders should both get life time bans. Good GAA men my bollix.  This shit should be dealt with ruthlessly, not just in this case but anywhere it arises and anyone who thinks arguing over a 12 year old incident involving two players in the course of a game has even the slightest relevance to what happened here is a complete gobshite.

headbutting is illegal in UFC!!

[fearglasmor]

I cant believe some of the ambivalence being shown towards this incident by some posters. The manager and the player who seem to fancy themselves as UFC contenders should both get life time bans. Good GAA men my bollix.  This shit should be dealt with ruthlessly, not just in this case but anywhere it arises and anyone who thinks arguing over a 12 year old incident involving two players in the course of a game has even the slightest relevance to what happened here is a complete gobshite.

headbutting is illegal in UFC!!

Exactly  !!!!!!

[under the bar]

If Noel Mc Ginn does not receive at least a 12 month suspension, we will have no credibility left when we talk of abolishing thuggery from our games.

If he only gets 12 months he'll be doing well.  Apology or not I can see him being hung out to dry and made an example of as a warning to other managers. 

Have Ian Paisley junior or Gregory Campbell been on the radio about it yet?

[Tommo2]

I understand that Noel McGinn got a 12 month ban for headbutting a mentor from an opposing team during an U12 or U14 game a number of years ago.

[Onion Bag]

If Noel Mc Ginn does not receive at least a 12 month suspension, we will have no credibility left when we talk of abolishing thuggery from our games.

If he only gets 12 months he'll be doing well.  Apology or not I can see him being hung out to dry and made an example of as a warning to other managers. 

Have Ian Paisley junior or Gregory Campbell been on the radio about it yet?

They wouldnt have TG4 in their houses, and dont think they will have read  the irsh news this morning, so they may not have heard about the incident yet, but no doubt they will get their 10p's worth at some stage

[bennydorano]

Mcginn always was a thug.  He's fondly remembered by Armagh fans of the 80's for throwing sand in the eyes of an oncoming Armagh player in an Ulster Championship match.  The Clonoe #5 should be honoured.

[Doogie Browser]

One observation about yesterdays coverage, I was watching UTV Sunday sport during extra time and they had a report and pictures on the 'disgraceful scenes' at the Tyrone County Final before the game had even finished!