Memorable acts of sportsmanship in GAA games

Hardy · January 12, 2009, 10:14:01 AM

There was a bloke on the wireless the other morning flogging his book on the Tubridy "show". The book is about famous acts of sportsmanship. Tubridy had ould "Danger Here" Hamilton on as well to talk about it.

They talked about things like Paul McGinley giving an American lad a 15-foot putt in the Ryder cup because if he missed it that would be the one that would lose the cup and this was only a young lad and it wouldn't be right. (Except McGinley said later that wasn't the reason he did it at all). And some soccer team letting the other side score a goal in a refixed match because the first match had been abandoned at 1-0. Stuff like that..

They were on for 15 or twenty minutes and not once were GAA sports mentioned. I was driving along and I started to give out at the radio, saying "why didn't yiz mention ... ehhhh ... what about ..." But I couldn't think of one famous act of sportsmanship in the GAA.

We can all remember plenty of examples of the opposite, like Mikey Sheehy making a fool out of poor ould Paddy Cullen and Darby pushing Tommy Doyle in the back (only jokin Biffs – it was a gust of wind) and Gerry McEntee saying to Chartlie Redmond "jayz Charlie, they're not lettin YOU take it, are they?" and of course, worst of all, the serial swan diving and face holding and rolling around that goes on these days.

But the nearest I can come to a memorable act of sportsmanship (and it's not very famous) is Oisín asking the referee to go easy on some player he was about to book for fouling him last year in the club championship. You'll see that a fair bit OK.

Can anyone think of better ones?

nrico2006 · January 12, 2009, 10:19:24 AM

That was Oisin when that whinge CJ McGourty tried to pole axe Oisin out the wing in the Ulster Club Final.

Canalman · January 12, 2009, 10:24:32 AM

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

Hardy · January 12, 2009, 10:30:06 AM

Quote from: Canalman on January 12, 2009, 10:24:32 AM
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.

5 Sams · January 12, 2009, 10:32:48 AM

Tommy Carr telling Maurice which way the wind was blowing in Thurles

ONeill · January 12, 2009, 10:39:27 AM

Paul Galvin for preventing a fatal wasp sting on Russell.

under the bar · January 12, 2009, 10:42:24 AM

Didn't Westmeath offer Louth(?) a replay in the Championship on the 1990's after TV replays showed that the winning point was in fact a wide?

SidelineKick · January 12, 2009, 10:47:10 AM

Quote from: Canalman on January 12, 2009, 10:24:32 AM
No doubt the "Guard of Honour" given by the Offaly team to Antrim in 1989 will get a mention.

What was that?

Doogie Browser · January 12, 2009, 10:51:53 AM

Sean Cavanagh helping Francie put his dislocated shoulder back in place.

Hardy · January 12, 2009, 10:54:00 AM

Quote from: under the bar on January 12, 2009, 10:42:24 AM
Didn't Westmeath offer Louth(?) a replay in the Championship on the 1990's after TV replays showed that the winning point was in fact a wide?

Don't remember that one, but Laois gave Carlow a replay in 1995 after they had "won" by a point that was shown to be wide.

SidelineKick · January 12, 2009, 10:55:13 AM

Mickey Harte forgiving the ignorance of the Tyrone fans when they were calling for him to quit after the Down game.

Shamrock Shore · January 12, 2009, 11:16:09 AM

Sean Boylan taking control of the situation when a Longford player broke his leg in a Longford v Meath league match in the mid 90s stands out in my mind

Orior · January 12, 2009, 11:24:30 AM

Cork hurling B team giving the Cork hurling A team an extra week aff.

Emmm, no make that a couple of weeks.

saffron sam2 · January 12, 2009, 12:13:29 PM

Quote from: Hardy on January 12, 2009, 10:30:06 AM
Quote from: Canalman on January 12, 2009, 10:24:32 AM
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.

longrunsthefox · January 12, 2009, 12:18:19 PM

I saw Brian McGuigan in a championship club game, about 5 yaers ago, go over and see if his marker, who was lying on the ground, was okay while paly was going on. He could have taken advantage of the situation but didn't. Some would think he was niave to do that but I was very impressed. Sadly he hasn't been shown the same respect in club games but that's another story...