Naomh Gall GAA

Disgraceful scenes marred an outstanding game of hurling on Sunday at Rossa Park when, with less than ten minutes to play, a home official entered the playing area and became involved in an altercation with a young member of the St Galls u16 panel. As mentors from both sides attempted to calm the situation a number of the home support entered the playing area and things spiralled out of all control. Both sets of mentors had made efforts to calm the situation however the influx of people with no reason to be anywhere near the pitch meant five minutes of scenes which I would I hope never to be a part of again.

 

The home side got off to a dream start, scoring 2.02 unanswered with both corner forwards scoring at will. Conor Burke was moved to midfield to halt Carl Davis, with Aaron Mulhern moving to centre half forward. Cormac Bradley, who easily put in a man of the match performance, was swapped from left half forward, where he was causing the Rossa half back line a lot of headaches, to right half back where he continued to excel and cut out attack after attack. Ruairi Wilson, carrying a leg injury, began to find his feet at centre half back and totally ran the show.

 

When Stevie Garland burst through the Rossa half back line on 23 mins and fired over an inspirational point after initially being hooked, St Galls finally drew level at 2.02 to 0.08. For 16 minutes Rossa had failed to raise a flag and more importantly had failed to reach their full forward line. Another pointed free from Conor Loughran and a massive point from play by Conor Burke left St Galls 0.10 to 2.02 in front with time almost up. Rossa managed one last attack before half time and won a free on the three quarter line which was duly pointed leaving the bare minimum between the sides.

 

On the turn around a large Rossa support amassed behind Aodhan Burke’s goal with at least one extra local appearing next to the umpire. How supporters behave and what is said to players cannot, understandably, be the responsibility of the management of a hurling team. However, it is my opinion that other officials from within a club should do their utmost to influence the behaviour of their members. After speaking to the goalkeeper and full back line about the goings on behind the net at that time, I have been left wondering how grown men and women, who are supposedly all Gaels, are involved in our association. I appreciate the levels of passion and excitement within the ground during what was a brilliant spectacle for all involved, but to verbally abuse an under 16 back four which included two 13 years old is not in keeping with the values of the GAA.

 

After the melee, both teams were ushered by their mentors into two opposing corners like weary boxers. By this stage neither side seemed remotely interested in hurling. Two St Galls players had to be substituted as a result of injuries received in the midst of the row. Seamy Shannon, Rossa manager, in fairness came to the St Galls squad and spoke for a few moments on how outstanding the game had been and how tough and fair both teams had played. He asked for both teams to continue in the same vein and to ignore, if possible, the fools who had entered the playing area and spoiled the match. Jim Close also spoke to both squads and asked that the players continue in the same spirit they had shown to that point but indicated that every foul in the last ten minutes would be blown.

 

Both teams returned to the pitch but not in the same frame of mind as before. Rossa showed better fight in hitting 4 goals in the remaining ten minutes against a back line who continued to suffer at the hands of their agitators and with a goalkeeper who had been punched twice in the midst of the row.

 

I could not report on Sunday’s game without making some reference to how the outcome was influenced. I am not saying we would have beaten Rossa on Sunday as they, like St Galls, were a well drilled, fit and passionate side who hurled manfully throughout, nor am I opening up a forum for debate or accusing any specific individual of foul play. The incidents on which I have reported sickened me but more importantly are relevant to the result of the game. I have never been more proud of this team than I was on Sunday – nor have I seen them hurl as well or as passionately as was exemplified by Cormac Bradley’s display.

 

Unfortunately, we have no fixture this weekend to bounce back on, but the squad are back together tonight for training………….