Laois v Armagh - NFL Round 5 - Sunday 18th March

[Fuzzman]

I really am beginning to believe ye lads now actually as you seem to be all singing from the one hymn sheet.
I've been to games alright where you just wonder does this ref have it in for ye
I'm honest enough to say I've never liked McKeever (Or Sheahan I suppose) but if what yer saying is the general consensus then this sure is a bigger issue.
Can anyone confirm about the cameras in the tunnel.

That ground sure does seem to bring a lot of trouble to the table.

If he gets suspended for kicking how long will he be out for?
It's gas how every year the league brings up these issues whereas other players get away with murder just cos its an AI semi etc.

[illdecide]

I spoke with a few Killeavy lads at the weekend and they said Stevie is not even training with their senior team at the minute, if that's the case then i doubt he's any intention of coming back to Armagh...

On McKeever...is there any point in even discussing it as it's done now and judging by recent appeals on Armagh players then he's going to serve a double ban (2nd time off this year)

[mountainboii]

If yer all calling the Ref and linesman liars then that is a whole different ball game.

I'm calling them incompetent. Their incompetence was evident on an inordinately high number of occasions during the seventy minutes on the pitch. There is no reason why such incompetence could not extend into their adjudication of the events, or nonevents, of half time.

[Goats Do Shave]

I spoke with a few Killeavy lads at the weekend and they said Stevie is not even training with their senior team at the minute, if that's the case then i doubt he's any intention of coming back to Armagh...

On McKeever...is there any point in even discussing it as it's done now and judging by recent appeals on Armagh players then he's going to serve a double ban (2nd time off this year)

Stevie's wife give birth to their new son Cahir yesterday. I'd imagine it'll be a few week's before (and if) he decides to return to training. He should be fairly fit anyways, isn't he personal training in Newry?

[Archie Mitchell]

Reports in the Irish Star today that McKeever was subjected to some sectarian abuse from some of the Laois players. It's alleged he was called a British bastard and they sang GSTQ at him during the 1st half and as they were going in at HT.

[BennyCake]

Reports in the Irish Star today that McKeever was subjected to some sectarian abuse from some of the Laois players. It's alleged he was called a British b**tard and they sang GSTQ at him during the 1st half and as they were going in at HT.

Isn't it strange that the GAA are promoting relations with the unionist community and trying to encourage foreigners to play our games, while at the same time, northern players are continually subjected to this sort of thing. Oh yes, GAA fans thought it was terrible what Luis Suarez said (well, not the Liverpool fans), but yet nobody bats an eye to the "British b*****d" type insults players from the North continue to get.

Guaranteed there would be the same Suarez type frenzy if a black GAA player got insulted, yet fcuk all is happening with this.

[armaghniac]

It's alleged he was called a British b**tard and they sang GSTQ at him during the 1st half and as they were going in at HT.

I'm sure McNulty is proud of his charges.

[brokencrossbar1]

Reports in the Irish Star today that McKeever was subjected to some sectarian abuse from some of the Laois players. It's alleged he was called a British b**tard and they sang GSTQ at him during the 1st half and as they were going in at HT.

The irony of this coming from people from the Queen's county   Maybe they're just getting into the swing of things for their 60 year Jubliee Specials in Durrow!

[onefaircounty]

Couple of bites for AM there.

[nrico2006]

Reports in the Irish Star today that McKeever was subjected to some sectarian abuse from some of the Laois players. It's alleged he was called a British b**tard and they sang GSTQ at him during the 1st half and as they were going in at HT.

Isn't it strange that the GAA are promoting relations with the unionist community and trying to encourage foreigners to play our games, while at the same time, northern players are continually subjected to this sort of thing. Oh yes, GAA fans thought it was terrible what Luis Suarez said (well, not the Liverpool fans), but yet nobody bats an eye to the "British b*****d" type insults players from the North continue to get.

Guaranteed there would be the same Suarez type frenzy if a black GAA player got insulted, yet fcuk all is happening with this.

Sure where is the line drawn?  Go to any County match during the summer and some of the personal abuse shouted at players is unbelievable.  It shouldn't be acceptable and abuse fuelled by race or sexuality should not be seen as more serious than any other form.

[naka]

if the sectarian allegation is true I wonder will the gaa take issue with it.

have kept counsel on the match but I thought refereee was appalling, we should have had a couple of penalties, but we were also wasteful.

reality is that we are weak at present and i would expect to be turned over in our next 2 games

[Dont Matter]

Yes the referee was bad. He should have given you 1 penalty in the first half for sure, I can't remember the other penalty claim but about a minute after the first incident he should have awarded a free on the 21 yard line. He also gave a few baffling decisions against Laois, he's just a bad ref but I can see why Armagh fans would be more aggrieved by his performance.
Onto the sectarian abuse, if it's true then I'd like McNulty to kick Sheehan off the panel for good. I've never liked him anyway, not only because he must be one of the few Kerrymen that's unable to kick a ball but also his behaviour over the years. Never did our county any credit.

[Applesisapples]

I believe the offficial knows the rules and is not blind

That belief would have been shaken if you were actually in Portlaoise.

Those not in attendance at yesterday's game really don't understand the circumstances in which the decision to line McKeever was made. Given their judgement of a whole host of other incidents over the seventy minutes, there is every reason to question the competency of that set of officials to have made the correct call on what happened, or did not happen, at half time.

I wasn't there but would say the incident was more likely to have occured than not. Now where have I heard that one before? I would agree that McKeever uis well known to walk a fine line but is he stpuid enough to kick someone in front of an official. Given the performances of Rory Hickey and Joe McQuillan over the past few days I would be more inclined to believe McKeever tahn trust an officilas eyesight.

[Applesisapples]

I believe the offficial knows the rules and is not blind

That belief would have been shaken if you were actually in Portlaoise.

Those not in attendance at yesterday's game really don't understand the circumstances in which the decision to line McKeever was made. Given their judgement of a whole host of other incidents over the seventy minutes, there is every reason to question the competency of that set of officials to have made the correct call on what happened, or did not happen, at half time.

I wasn't there but would say the incident was more likely to have occured than not. Now where have I heard that one before? I would agree that McKeever uis well known to walk a fine line but is he stpuid enough to kick someone in front of an official. Given the performances of Rory Hickey and Joe McQuillan over the past few days I would be more inclined to believe McKeever tahn trust an oofficial's eyesight. I would agree with other's here that Duffy is not a good ref.

[PAULD123]

Ah come on lads seriously!!!!

Some of these comments are absurd. Either you are calling the official a straight out liar or you have to accept that he saw something happen. You can easily debate how serious it was and whether or not it was possibly violent or just petty. but you can not seriously claim that the official just made the whole thing up.

As for "McKeever isn't so stupid as to kick....." - Yes he is, he has struck players several times right in front of officials

Secondly it has not been stated that it was definitely kicking, just striking. And as I said a fairly incidental shove is technically striking and a pedantic official could easily demand a dismissal for it

Thirdly no matter how bad the referee was, it was not his decision. The linesman asked for the dismissal the referee only carried out his request.

Finally, no matter how unfair it was. In refusing to leave the field he committed a serious offence. he can consider himself lucky if the referee does not report him for a second red card offence. The referee was quite entitled to cancel teh game and award it to Laois - check the rule book. So you how does the argument "McKeever isn't so stupid as to..." hold up now?

I am absolutely sure from the linesman's request that McKeever made contact with someone. I am also equally sure from McKeever's reaction  that the contact could not have been anything more than incidental and likely to merit nothing more than a sharp word to calm down.

Incidentally I work with a Laois man who was at the game. he confirmed that the referee was terrible but said that Laois had plenty to complain about too. He also said that if McKeever had punched Sheehan that he probably deserved it (I mean Sheehan deserved it)