Memorable acts of sportsmanship in GAA games

[maddog]

Paul Donnelly making sure that James McCartan got a nice new pair of boots, its the thought that counts.

[SidelineKick]

No doubt the "Guard of Honour" given by the Offaly team to Antrim  in 1989 will get a mention.

Funny one that. Well intentioned, of course, but could easily be seen as a bit patronising. Would they have done it for Clare?

I remembered one at last and just looked it up there - Bobby Rackard and Nick O'Donnell carried Christy Ring off shoulder high after Wexford beat Cork in the 1956 AIF.

I'm told their minor footballers did the same after Derry beat them in the '89 All-Ireland final.

What is this lads?

[Homer]

Offaly provided a guard of honour for the triumphant Antrim team after their shock defeat to them in an All-Ireland Hurling semi-final.

[Onion Bag]

Whats that Heffo? never heard anything about this

[longrunsthefox]

The two Wexford players carrying Christy Ring shoulder high after his last All Ireland final...  can't imagine it happening these days somehow...

[heffo]

Whats that Heffo? never heard anything about this

It does what it says on the tin...

[Tubberman]

When Dermot Earley played his last match for Roscommon against Mayo in the Connacht championship, the Mayo players lifted Earley onto their shoulders and carried him off the field. A lovely tribute to a great player, and a great display of mutual respect and sportsmanship.
I'm not sure you'd see it happen today....

[RedandGreenSniper]

Anyway the best I ever heard was after the 1985 Connacht final between Mayo and Roscommon in Hyde Park. Roscommon great Dermot Earley had intimated that he would retire after that year's championship and Mayo duly won the title. In what was an apparently spontanious gesture, a group of Mayo players sought out Earley and chaired him around the field. A fitting gesture to a legend of the game.

[ziggysego]

Mayo.

After Tyrone first NFL game after Cormac's death, Mayo were outstanding.

[saffron sam2]

Tyrone yesterday.

They declined a guard of honour from the Down squad, admittedly without actually telling anyone; realising possibly that three is indeed less than five.

[BennyHarp]

Mick Holden running the length of the pitch to drag a cheating, diving Barney Rock off the ground in 1985 (i think)!! And theres me thinking feigning injury started with tyrone in 2003!!!! 

[RedandGreenSniper]

I'm from Mayo and I've heard the Alan Brogan story a couple of times. Can't confirm it obviously.

Something that I think is very sporting about the GAA is on the occasions where a losing manager and/or captain goes into the winning dressing room to congratulate them and wish them well. SOmetimes its lads just going through the motions but sometimes its incredibly sincere and gracious

[his holiness nb]

Something that I think is very sporting about the GAA is on the occasions where a losing manager and/or captain goes into the winning dressing room to congratulate them and wish them well.

Would fully agree, though I'm sure it happens in other sports too.

Takes a lot for a manager who has just been knocked from the championship they have trained all year for, and who is obviously sick, to suck it up and wish the opposition well.

Was it Sean Boylan who was shown doing this in the Dubs dressing room after the game in 2005? It was on that documentary following the Dubs for the season, the one with the ice baths etc.

Was impressed by Boylan, full of grace in defeat.

[ludermor]

Mayo.

After Tyrone first NFL game after Cormac's death, Mayo were outstanding.

Mayo for not bothering to show up in the last few all ireland finals

[longrunsthefox]

Actually Benny Harp-Mick Holden didn't run 'the length of the field' as Barney Rock was away up field in his back line... still it was a good moment.