http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/bennett-slams-crazy-dismissal-of-son-258970.html

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 17/02/2014 10:12:42    1547170

Ya that is what you are up against, betrays the mindset of the stronger counties - mind you not so very long ago Waterford were no great shakes ...

Bainisteoir (National) - Posts: 609 - 17/02/2014 10:22:10    1547175

Priceless. Maybe someone should tell him about Mount Leinster Rangers, a club from a "football" county. Sure they probably can't hurl either!!

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 17/02/2014 10:28:30    1547181

I was at this game and the Waterford boys tried to intimidate the creggan fellas (most who are under 23) from start to finish and their player could possibly have gone for a straight red in the first half instead of a yellow. Their number 14 wanted to do nothing more than hit the opposition rather than the ball for the last 15 minutes and he managed to get a creggan man sent off as he tried to do him only for the creggan lad to brace himself and shoulder him to the ground.

his swipe at the ref is uncalled for and is similar to the cork comments about Carlow hurling and shows a distinct lack of dignity and appreciation of other 'weaker' counties. He also mentions creggans ability to hit long scores when it fact it was a 90 metre free last week that brought the game into extra time and the last three scores on Saturday were all from inside the creggan half. Its a shame this man has the option to use a newspaper to vent his anger at his team failing to win an all Ireland that they thought they just had to turn up to

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 17/02/2014 10:30:55    1547183

You have to laugh. It's right up there with Neil Francis comments at the weekend.

It's up there also with people calling to get rid of the yellow and red cards from hurling.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 17/02/2014 10:53:35    1547195

I have to say I am absolutely flabbergasted by what I have read in the article. I was at the game on Saturday, purely as a neutral (from Westmeath - doubtful credentials), and I was amazed at what I saw. I honestly believe that Ballysaggart were lucky to have ten players on the pitch at the end of the game. If anything, I think the referee was very lenient on them, some of the off the ball (as well as on or within three feet of the ball) stuff that the Ballysaggart players were up to was red card stuff, no question. On the other side of things, I thought the Creggan team were a great team to watch. The corner forward, think his surname was Small, will be an Antrim player for many years to come. Took his goal superbly, and for a small enough lad, seemed to have a brilliantly timed jump for the high ball, great control with the hurley too. To finish, as a huge admirer of Waterford hurling for some time, especially the Justin McCarthy era, as well as the Mount Sion and De la Salle teams run in the club All Ireland series, I have to say Saturday was a disappointment.

HeyJude (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 17/02/2014 11:00:01    1547200

As a hurling man I cant defend what that lad said. But I can gurantee that this division of the two codes is just as much present in foobtall heartlands as it is in hurling. Im from hurling club ans when we play junior football against an established football team they can be just as disrepectful. Again though I cant defend what that guy said

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 17/02/2014 11:00:14    1547201

"We knew Creggan were going to be physical. We knew they couldn't score from long range. We said we would let them shoot from out the field and you see their wide count and it is probably double ours. That is because they are footballers. They can't score from out the field."


This guy should be absolutely ashamed of himself. Talk about sour grapes.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 17/02/2014 11:21:11    1547216

Sounds like a typrical junior hurling match! No offence intended. And yes, Bennett's comments are pretty pathetic particularly as two people here who were at the match (not sure they let Westmeath people watch hurling, but thats another day's work :-) say that it was the Waterford team that was employing the dark arts.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 17/02/2014 11:32:20    1547223

hurlingdub, I will take the Brian Whelehan approach, and talk about not talking about that comment!!!

HeyJude (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 17/02/2014 11:53:42    1547238

Good grief - this like somethign from Fr Ted:

Pat, clutching his son's hurley, questioned why GAA top-brass would allow a Wicklow native officiate an All-Ireland hurling final, one "that doesn't know what hurling is"

and this is just priceless#:
"We knew Creggan were going to be physical. We knew they couldn't score from long range. We said we would let them shoot from out the field and you see their wide count and it is probably double ours. That is because they are footballers. They can't score from out the field."

Let me see who won again???????

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4961 - 17/02/2014 11:54:02    1547239

arock, I could be wrong here but I also think that off their 1-7 only three points were scored from play which makes the statement even more ludicrous. Yes creggan is mainly a football club but those boys have been brought through by the current senior manager since they were eight years old so have played plenty of hurling.

Despite the result and the sour grapes it is the attack on the referees residence which sickens me the most. I thought he had an excellent game and one or two decisions went against both teams (creggan had a good goal disallowed), but to use the fact that he is from an unfancied hurling county is just sickening. He fails to mention that creggan had a player sent off for very little in the drawn game by a ref who hailed from one of the hurling superpowers........but some people have very short memories when it suits

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 17/02/2014 12:05:29    1547245

Some classic inferiority complex here too. One man Bennet from a small junior club apparently represents not only Waterford but all the strong hurling counties. "The Waterford boys" apparently being the big baddies playing for Waterford when it was merely a team representing one small village in Waterford and the "Cork comments about Carlow" when it was just one county board delegate who made comments but apparently he represents Cork and the views of the people of Cork too.

KeyserSoze (Cork) - Posts: 363 - 17/02/2014 12:18:36    1547251

Some classic inferiority complex here too. One man Bennet from a small junior club apparently represents not only Waterford but all the strong hurling counties. "The Waterford boys" apparently being the big baddies playing for Waterford when it was merely a team representing one small village in Waterford and the "Cork comments about Carlow" when it was just one county board delegate who made comments but apparently he represents Cork and the views of the people of Cork too.


Where did anyone say he represented the whole of Waterford, or indeed the cork comment being attributed to the whole of Cork?? Don't be so paranoid. Attacking a ref like that has no place in GAA, his county of origin should be of no consequence whatsoever. My point is that this attitude exists, that you cannot deny, and it is harming the game. Sean Og visited the creggan club before their semi final and stated that any time they went out to face northern opposition that they felt they just had to turn up, he then told the boys they need to believe in themselves and their ability etc. I thought it was a very honest speech on his part and respected him for it. You simply cannot deny that the attitude exists.

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 17/02/2014 12:31:13    1547260

frankbhoy77, I take on board everything you say. They were representing the village of Ballysaggart and I noted at the game the passion from the crowd for Ballysaggart as this was where we sat, in the middle of their supporters. However, they were representing their county also as champions. I also feel the comments by the Ballysaggart manager were totally based on a superiority complex due to the fact that he is from Waterford. Also, with regard to the ref, I believe he had a poor game, and it is nothing to do with him hailing from Wicklow. Example include the disallowed goal for Creggan, that was an outrageous decision with a two point swing on the scoreline. It could have cost the team the game. I guess when it is someone like Sean Og, you can look at this comment and say "fair enough", he walked the walk and has the All Ireland medals to prove it. The opinions/views are based on where you are from it seems, whether they be inferior/superior by nature. Very hard to remove this from the game and the areas where they are.

HeyJude (Westmeath) - Posts: 6 - 17/02/2014 12:50:03    1547281

I think Ballysaggart must be one of the smallest parishes you'll encounter also - something like 250 people only.

His comments are a bit controversial alright. I did read it that he was informed that the ref was mainly a football ref, who happened to be from Wicklow more than it being a problem coming from Wicklow.

I've also read other reports that the young Bennett's were subject to a lot of physical treatment and abuse from Creggan - one story of one of them getting hit by three men when attepting to come out and take a free, being floored by the third attempt.

Bennett's comments are wrong but I would caution the fact that they were given directly after a heated replay of an All Ireland final, which would have put him totally out of his comfort zone. He may well regret a lot of what he said.

ringo (Wexford) - Posts: 384 - 17/02/2014 13:03:07    1547297

Sour grapes, plain & simple. I'm sure he's a passionate man who has put his heart & soul into preparing this team - had 2 sons playing also. However, very foolish comments.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4105 - 17/02/2014 13:28:36    1547324

You'll get that in Tipp too whenever a South Tipp referee refs a county hurling final or any club hurling match between two non-South teams.

And you'll get the same again when a North or Mid referee refs a major football match.

The reality is that for Ballysaggart it hurts too much to be beaten by an Antrim team so the Ref gets it!

JimmyCahill (Tipperary) - Posts: 11 - 17/02/2014 13:35:01    1547329

When you are from a so called weaker county that has always been the way. The top tiers have always been the same and it is down to the GAA top brass as they keep letting them away with it. If that was in the premiership or rugby the person concerned would be punished for his comments. Mount leinster rangers have shown that they can hurl at the top level and beat ballyboden,aularth and lougeil shamrocks, all supposed to be top hurling counties but instead of the GAA standing up and promoting hurling in carlow they knock them back on every ocassion. Where in the world would you see a winner of a league having to play bottom of the league above them to get promoted.That is just protecting the so called stronger counties from relegation which is scandalous.

TopFan (Carlow) - Posts: 166 - 17/02/2014 13:54:57    1547355

Snobbery?...Common sense mate.

Just because somebody does the course on refereeing doesn't make him a football or hurling referee. Iv the course in both codes done and i'm from a hurling background. Iv been asked to officiate over football games and if its anything over u16 a decline cause I don't consider myself a football referee.

Big hurling matches should be left to referees who know hurling. Lets be honest the referee in Clare will know the finer detail alot better than a ref from a weaker hurling county and like wise with football.

crossfieldball (Galway) - Posts: 650 - 17/02/2014 14:05:08    1547369