Firstly, congratulations to Dublin on having the noose on the line and the physical presence on the field to take on Kerry and do what my own county couldn't.

What is of real shame is that the Sunday Game have once again decided to gloss over what was a horrible incident with Philly McMahon gouging Donaghy. I for one have McMahon down as my player of the season as he was immense in the two games against Mayo and the final yesterday. However, why did they decide to make light of the situation, yes there was much to admire about the performance of Dublin, however they also have to highlight such a serious incident.

Could you imagine if this were done by a lesser county of say Derry or Meath they would be calling for the wrong doer to be burned at the stake.

Shame on Ciaran Whelan and his buddies, time to replace this panel who will call it like it is.....

tyronemanc (Tyrone) - Posts: 163 - 21/09/2015 10:23:49    1789919

Dublin were the best team in the country this season, as is evidenced by their National League, Leinster and All-Ireland titles. However, there is a very obvious double standard between the reaction of the Sunday Game panel to the McCann and McMahon incidents. McMahon himself is a fine footballer, but he sails very close to the wind at times.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 21/09/2015 11:09:51    1789968

The panels response to the Philly McMahon incident was pathetic and quite simply embarrassing, he was clearly trying to get at Donaghy's eye and there should be no place for this in the GAA or in any sport. Time for the GAA to clamp down on McMahon to ensure this kind of dangerous play does not become the norm. Whatever about pulling, tripping, dragging and the odd bit of pinching but to go for someone's eye is plain and simply a disgrace. McMahon is a top quality footballer and was Dublin's best player against Mayo and yesterday as well but if he gets away with this it'll be yet another shambolic disciplinary situation involving the GAA.

LakemenAbu (Westmeath) - Posts: 134 - 21/09/2015 17:22:18    1790266

To be fair to Tomas O'Se what could he really say? Had he slated McMahon it would be portrayed as sour grapes.

Maybe the other pundits could have taken the matter up. I think eye gouging like that is very serious.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 21/09/2015 17:27:11    1790271

I dont think this is clear cut at all.Yes,P McMahon had his hand near Donaghys eye but how can you be sure it was an intentional eye gouge?In those slippery conditions,wearing gloves,i don't think this was deliberate.Dub or not lads,that's my honest opinion.I'd say the same for any other player accused of the same?

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 21/09/2015 17:29:40    1790275

It is one thing to be appalled by the panel's response but if the GAA or CCC dont act on this it will be utterly disgraceful

LakemenAbu (Westmeath) - Posts: 134 - 21/09/2015 17:30:49    1790279

To be fair to O'Se as well, he's fairly consistent with his analysis and hasn't displayed bias towards any team that I have seen.

Whelan was on the night of the Tyrone debacle with O'Rourke and McStay if I remember correctly and has certainly been much more lenient on Dublin than Tyrone.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 21/09/2015 17:32:27    1790280

Cuedesrocket, it seems fairly clearly cut. McMahon is poking at Donaghy's face well away from the ball. If it was supposed to be a tackle aimed at the ball, then it was a tame enough effort. He's even still pawing at Donaghy when he gets up.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 21/09/2015 17:41:45    1790290

I have watched it quite a few times former poster and i can't say for sure whether he meant it or not.Honestly,that's not looking through rose tinted glasses.Dont know how anyone could know it was intentional.I'm giving P McMahon the benefit of the doubt.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 21/09/2015 17:49:36    1790295

We need to stop these rugby tactics creeping into our games.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12133 - 21/09/2015 17:50:56    1790297

There's a different dynamic to the Sunday Game for an All-Ireland final. Its been watched by the winning team and the program is heavily interactive with them. Its seen as a night of celebration more than anything else - hence the team of the year, moments of the year, player of the year etc.

I think it would have been dealt with differently if it was any other match during the championship.

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1418 - 21/09/2015 17:52:32    1790300

This is one of the most clear cut cases of eye gouging I have ever seen and I've seen many punished in rugby where it was a lot less clear cut. There can be no doubt what was happening here - the ball was about 3 feet away, he had no business having his hand near his face but you can clearly see him searching for the eye and then making a scraping motion as he removes his hand. I didnt even pick it up during the game but I was shocked to see the video on the Sunday Game.

Such a shame as I thought he was the best player on the pitch and would have been a contender for POTY.

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1422 - 21/09/2015 17:54:57    1790301

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 381

1790290
Cuedesrocket, it seems fairly clearly cut. McMahon is poking at Donaghy's face well away from the ball. If it was supposed to be a tackle aimed at the ball, then it was a tame enough effort...

-----
Equally if this was supposed to be an eye gouge then it was a poor enough effort. Would you not agree? Also, bearing in mind that McMahon couldn't see Donaghy's eyes in the first place, it's difficult to say whether or not this was a deliberate attempt to eye gouge. No doubt though Philly plays close to the edge and deliberate, or not deliberate, attempt at an eye gouge, he shouldn't have had his gloves on Donaghy's face.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4703 - 21/09/2015 17:57:55    1790302

I can understand ciaran Whelan not wanting to criticize a fellow dub. I can also understand Tomas o se being reluctant to come across as a sore loser. BUT, and this is the big BUT, if you can't be professional and call it as it is, DON'T go taking a cheque from licence fee payers. Stay at home! Pathetic all round.

Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 768 - 21/09/2015 17:58:33    1790303

I'm not sure what you'd consider a good attempt at an eye gouge Joxer but prodding your hand in the direction of someone's face would seem a fairly decent effort. It seems obvious to me what he was trying. I agree he plays close to the edge and I agree he's had a great year.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 21/09/2015 18:07:28    1790309

Intentional or not this is not acceptable in Gaelic games. If one of my players got hurt as a result of an action like this I would be furious and looking to take it up with the County Board. I don't think you can pass it off as bad weather / slippery conditions. Philly has to know his fingers are very close to the eyes of KD and he absolutely has no business doing that.

Its a shame for him because he was one of the best players on show yesterday.

Having said all that, I find it interesting but not surprising that this is the only incident that has featured across the board today. I know what Philly did is dangerous but there were other very bad examples of poor sportsmanship being set yesterday which disappointed me. I don't remember one single instance in which a Kerry player handed a ball to a Dublin player for a line-ball or free kick, instead on every occasion the ball was thrown away to slow down play. On a couple of occasions the ball was thrown into the crowd so as to prevent a quick restart.

Also, every time Dublin were awarded a free kick a Kerry player stood directly in front of the ball with less than 5m between himself and the ball. Eoin Liston wrote during the week about how proud he was his fellow county men did not get involved in talking back to or moaning at the referee. Really Eoin, what did you call that yesterday then, the backchat to the ref was non stop during the second half and as usual, led by the mouth of the south Donaghy.

Having said all that Dublin were by far the better team and thoroughly deserved their win. There'll be plenty of vinegar around the place judging by a lot of the comments from our country cousins today. But that won't bother us in the slightest.

Beacaire Gorm (Dublin) - Posts: 597 - 21/09/2015 18:10:15    1790311

Joxer, Joxer, Joxer, really undermining your stance on previous issues with that comment.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12133 - 21/09/2015 18:13:09    1790316

What exactly were the Sunday game pundits supposed to say? That McMahon deliberately gouged someones eye? Based on the evidence presented forget it.
BTW it was Whelan who raised it, O'Se deferred in case of a sour grape charge and McStay's crediblity within RTE is in tatters after the kangaroo court he ran in the first Mayo Dublin game so he was hardly going to say anything.

Constant knee-jerk charges based on spurious and inconclusive evidence is damaging the Sunday Game and they know it.

But did McMahon gouge the man's eye? I non't know - a maybe the evidence is pretty poor, did he intend to do it? Don't know another maybe so do people really expect after the outcomes in previous disciplinary hearings that there is stomach for a re-run here?

IMO any rules that contain words like "Intentional", "Reckless" or "Deliberate" are subjective ones and need to be rewritten.

McMahon is not guilty of anythingand certainly on that evidence you'd want to have a real grudge to condemn a man.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4903 - 21/09/2015 18:35:26    1790328

The footage shown on the the Sunday Game was pretty damning to be honest. He had his hand there for a long time then looks to close his hand/pinch (not really sure how to describe it) towards his eye. I am not Donaghy's biggest fan and he is not the most sporting individual but what happened is not alright. The act of gouging is way beyond a red card and I've seen people get 6-8 months for it in rugby. It's a shame because he has shown himself to be an excellent defender this year but he needs to control himself better.

On the panelists I think they're hands were tied to be fair. I'm sure they were told in no uncertain terms to brush it under the rug for the night that was in it and since the team were watching in the hotel. That being said they shot themselves in the foot with an over-reaction to Tyrone in particular this year so of course people are not happy when something this serious get little attention.

On a side note, I think the ref had a very good game apart from letting both teams away with touching the ball on the ground a lot and the odd over-carry. Hard to police that yesterday though

wee_yo (Mayo) - Posts: 63 - 21/09/2015 19:49:22    1790361

I would not tolerate or defend any player who went for another players eyes.It is too serious lads.However there is such a thing as due process and everyone is entitled to that.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 21/09/2015 19:50:04    1790362