They Said It ....

February 2005

“There is far too much condemnation of referees and it is something we simply cannot allow to continue if we are to attract people to take up the job.”
GAA President Sean Kelly asks for more respect to be given to the men in the middle

“My main objective is for Dublin to be competitive during the league, and that means taking each challenge one by one.”
New Dublin manager Paul Caffrey is going to take it one game at a time – now where have we heard that before?

"“If he was fully fit there wouldn’t be any doubt in him starting. But at this point in time, he isn’t fully fit. It’s nothing to do with his ability or anything else, it’s to do with his fitness levels. That’s the key to the whole thing.”
Mickey Harte gives his reasons why Peter Canavan decided to drop himself off the Tyrone panel for the NFL

“My first love was probably football, but I have three All-Ireland finals under my belt as well as umpteen provincial finals. The GAA were aware I refereed a lot of hurling matches in Wexford and Tipperary so I was approached to think about moving over this year. So I decided to give it a go.”
Referee Brian White explains why he will be officiating at intercounty hurling games instead of football matches in 2005

“When the club’s run in the All Ireland series ends, I will then consider my options and only then will I make a decision regarding my inter county career.”
David Brady says he will not decide whether or not to wear a Mayo jersey again until Ballina’s All-Ireland club odyssey ends

“It is not that easy now to achieve the level of fitness now required to be a top match official as I have been having problems with a knee cartilage. I also feel that there are a number of very promising young referees on the horizon and I think it is time to move over and give them a chance.”
Former All-Ireland referee Mick Curley gives his reasons for hanging up his whistle

"If you asked me to pick the best 24 players in Meath or Carlow, I would say that there would be an overall 24 better in Carlow. That’s no disrespect to any of the lads in Meath and it’s not meant to be insulting. I just feel that there is huge talent and quality in Carlow and I feel we can be on a level playing field with the best of them."
New Carlow manager and former Meath All-Ireland winner Liam Hayes talks up the chances of his new charges, or is he just telling us that Meath are as poor as we already know?

“I am contracted to Limavady until the end of the season so if I do make a contribution to Donegal, it may have to begin on the bench.”
Donegal’s Brendan Devenney confirms that his first priority until the end of the Irish League season is soccer

"It looks like being championship time before he’s fit and if this treatment doesn’t sort him out it would mean he has another long spell out."
Tyrone manage Mickey Harte laments the injury troubles that could keep Tyrone defender Phillip Jordan out of action for most of the year