Tony Mac on GAA

Questions for Curley

The big talking points from last weekend were the incidents during the controversial but very exciting All Ireland semi final between Kildare and Down. It was a very enjoyable match but it was a pity that over-rated referee Pat McEneaney made such a mess of most of the major decisions.

This year’s championship has been a very exciting one, but it has been marred by poor officiating and referees’ chief Michael Curley can take a lot of the blame. He stuck his head in the sand after the farce at the end of the Leinster final and there wasn’t a word out of him. We didn’t hear how Martin Sludden received such a high-profile appointment, seeing as he was such an inexperienced referee. Then after that game Mr Curley went back to appointing the old hands. Pat McEneaney referees the game according to his own popular rules and at times he fails to make clear and obvious calls. He was looking straight at the incident that happened between Paul Galvin and Eoin Cadogan yet he didn’t act. Last Sunday again he saw an obvious square ball that everyone else in Croke Park saw also too, but he still gave the goal. He also threw up the ball at the end of the game, which is usually the easy way out for a referee. The decision should have been a penalty or at least a free to Kildare. If I was Kildare supporter I would feel very aggrieved this week.

Down played some great football after that goal however up to the time that the goal was scored, Down were lost and the decision to allow the goal changed the momentum of the game.

Having said all that Down played some super football in the game and in Martin Clarke they have a real gem of a player. Daniel Hughes and Benny Coulter are excellent attackers too. The loss of Dermot Earley was very severe for Kildare but they seem to have good back up players and they are sure to be back again in 2011.

Down continue to improve and it promises to be an exciting final. Cork’s ability or otherwise to handle Martin Clarke will have a vital bearing on the result.

Connacht minor strength

A mention of the two top class minor football semi finals that we have seen in the past few weeks. Mayo and Galway played some great football in both matches and both sides were denied at the death in their respective semi finals. It’s a pity that the two sides did not get to the final and it shows the strength of Connacht minor football at the moment. I hope that the people who are charged with the task of running the Connacht MFC can come up with a championship for 2011 that is fair to all involved, taking into account the leaving certificate. This year Roscommon played their only championship game the day after the leaving cert finished and then no match for rest of summer. Surely no reward for the hours spent training and the hours lost from study.

Last weekend I attended both U16 football finals in Hyde Park and I saw plenty of talented players on all four teams. It is a pity that the games were not closer from a neutral point of view as there were easy wins for Western Gaels and Strokestown. I was really impressed by Strokestown in the division one final. They played some great football as they overcame Boyle. In Tom Corcoran they have a real player for the future. It seems that the gene pool does work sometimes!

Shefflin is crucial

Next Sunday the eagerly awaited All Ireland senior hurling final takes place between Tipperary and Kilkenny and it will not be a game for the faint hearted. The first 10 to 20 minutes will be very tough and certainly not a place for the likes of Ronaldo and company!

The fitness of Henry Shefflin will take up many pages this week and his fitness, or not, will have a direct bearing on the result of this final. If Shefflin is fully fit then Kilkenny will be hard to beat in this game. But if he is not playing then Tipperary have a great chance to pull off a shock. Tipp have some very good experienced players who will not be afraid to win. I would like to see Brian Cody and Kilkenny win the five in a row but I think that the experience Tipperary gained in the last year’s final against Kilkenny might just see them over the line.