Aidan O'Mahony = Pathetic

[muppet]

If all the rules contained within the GAA rulebook were evenly and consistently applied yesterday and play stopped for every single punishable indiscretion, what would the game ( which ws hard enough to watch ) have looked like ??

How many could have been sent off ?

Your point is valid. That is due to the way the game has been coached and in particularly the way it has been refereed over the years.

Here are some things I have heard in a dressing room before a match and I'm sure there are a hell of a lot worse stories among posters here:

Manager to full-forward: "The 1st time their keeper comes for a high ball I want him decapitated, dont worry about the ball because he'll leave it to you the next time".

Manager in different part of Ireland: "If anyone lays a finger on our (rather small) corner forward I want everyone in that half of the field running in kicking and punching everything in a **** shirt, he wont send ye all off."

Same manager: "You kick over the ball and punch under it....or you dont play for me".

[pintsofguinness]

I think he's managing in South Armagh now muppet.

[orangeman]

I think he's managing in South Armagh now muppet.

He must be cloned !

[brokencrossbar1]

I think he's managing in South Armagh now muppet.

Probably actually started their POG!

The offence by O'Connor was a strike and therefore he was correctly sent off.  The baiting by O'Mahony was disgraceful and given his position in society also very unbecoming of someone who should be doing what he is doing.  If the same behaviour came from a yob on a Saturday night I am sure that a  light slap across the jaw would be the least of the culprits worries.  He would be lifted correctly for threatening behaviour and left cool off in the cell for the night.

That aside, the whole ethos of the game has been changing for a number of years now.  As easytiger said(good to see you back old fella!) the nature of fair play the we would pride ourselves on has been slowly eroding.  This did not begin with the recent re-advent of football in the late 90's early noughties but has been slowly seeping in for a number of years.  Like the good ET commented on the dive by Rock when Holden grabbed him by the neck and lifted him,  the "winning" of easy frees by Da'Bollix in his hey day, the trash talk that caused Paidi to lift the head off Dinny Allen among others off the ball.

The difference now is the media coverage and the influence of sponsors on how the want things resolved.  It would be foolish to ignore the factor of money behind the whole thing.   Winning has become everything and screw anyone who stands in the way of that.  It is unfortunate and the referee had the opportunity to make his mark, but hadn't the cohunes to do it, so it goes back to the back burner.  I think the general feeling may change for the short time as no one will want ot be villified the way O'Mahony has been, but that will be short term.  It would be interesting to hear the conversation between Cussen and O'Mahony after the game given their close contact at Templemore.

[Turlough O Carolan]

In fairness, there was never any pristine age of gaelic football. If you look at All-Ireland's of yore, many games were blown up early and white hankerchiefs waved, such was some of the antics that went on. They used to knock lards off each other in those days and grudges were held for years afterwards. I know of two famous players who took their grudge from an All-Ireland final to the other side of the Atlantic after they emigrated and didn't talk to each other again until they were old men in their 70s. Even diving is not that new. Some teams of the 60s and 70s were known to go down easily in the penalty area. But only as a last gasp measure if they were 3 points down with a minute to go. They'd never do it for a free or to get someone sent off. And there's lots of stories of refs being ran off the field. However all that was done in the robust and red blooded  nature that a true Gael could appreciate. Now this cynical taunting and slaps on the face is just bitchy stuff that doesn't belong on a GAA pitch. A red card and two month ban should be the minimum punishment for that kind of crack. Try that in a pub and you'd get your teeth handed back to you.

[J70]

And there's lots of stories of refs being ran off the field. However all that was done in the robust and red blooded  nature that a true Gael could appreciate. Now this cynical taunting and slaps on the face is just bitchy stuff that doesn't belong on a GAA pitch. A red card and two month ban should be the minimum punishment for that kind of crack. Try that in a pub and you'd get your teeth handed back to you.

My uncle played in a county minor final back in the early fifties where they took the ref and threw him into the River  Finn!

[Malvinas]

It was a red card!!!

Away and grow a set for f**k sake. 

Previous comment given the response it deserved. A rule book has to be taken with a bit of common sense or else we've no game worth watchin. And if this is the case, and we end up with Drogba types falling all over the place, then its not a game that many will want to be associated with.

[saffron sam2]

Win at all costs boys.

O'Mahony could be any player from any county that serious designs on winning anything. Few here then have the moral highground to comment.

Except maybe me.

His behaviour was absolutely disgraceful. He has no right to be recognised as an All-Star this year.

There is an argument for charging him with bringing the game into disrepute, but then Doyle and McQuillan would have to be charged as well.

[Kerry Mike]

He has no right to be recognised as an All-Star this year.

He wont lose much sleep over this, winning All Stars has never been much of a priority to Kerrymen, its the medals they dish out in September with the big Silver bucket that count. I suppose it is win at all costs attitude and we have always had that.

His behaviour was absolutely disgraceful

But agree with you he has let himself and his county down. He has a lot of ground to make up to redemm himself, hopefully next weekend he will be back to what he does best, being one of the best centre backs in the country, but no doubt a few of the Cork lads will be targeting him and reminding him of his play acting, will be interesting to see how he reacts to their baiting, but I think he will be embarrassed about the reaction from yesterday.

[ONeill]

Perhaps this is the opportunity for the GAA hierarchy to come out and issue a statement regarding play-acting in an attempt to nip the trait in the bud. Beyond that, there is little you can do in terms of punishment. I'm sure player representatives can concoct some story about the effect 'shock' can have on your balance or some crap like that. Maybe it's up to managers to buy into a more wholesome ethos by dropping players who cheat or attempt to get others sent off. Then again, when results are the be-all and end-all, fat chance! If Kerry win the AI by crushing Cork and Wexford, playing exhilarating football, O'Mahony's action will hardly be mentioned around the Christmas dinner tables of drunken gaels in 2008.

[under the bar]

Kerry Mike in O'Mahoney post without blaming it on Tyrone shocker!!

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry Mike in O'Mahoney post without blaming it on Tyrone shocker!!

Get with the program, you have the wrong Mike, I am not blaming anything on Tyrone (yet) but I am becoming a bitter twisted man in my old age. so beware, dont be baiting KM.

If Kerry win the AI by crushing Cork and Wexford, playing exhilarating football,

Ye Tyrone boys are some craic 

[ziggysego]

If Kerry win the AI by crushing Cork and Wexford, playing exhilarating football,

Ye Tyrone boys are some craic 

Don't fancy your chances against Wexford KM?

[Kerry Mike]

Though we beat them in the 1913 and 1914 finals they beat us in the 1915 final stopping us winning a Three-in-a-row and in the process kicked off their own famous 4-in-a-row, yes Wexford are the only other team with a Four-in-a-row, and we have not got the upper hand on them in a final since. So yes am worried.

[Armamike]

It's always frustrating when the instigator of these incidents gets off scot free while the player who retaliates carries the can.  O'Mahony deserved some punishment for aggressive behaviour in the first place, with the way he was roaring in the Cork lad's face like some feckin looney tune.  Isn't diving a yellow card offence?  The fairest result all round would have been a yellow card to both imo, but i suppose fairness or commonsense doesn't come into it.