The Paudie Palmer column: Beware the hurling snob who sneers at football

SO Anthony Daly has declared himself as a hurling snob.

I wonder is there a body of work that could be undertaken by a PhD student about what constitutes the mind-set of a hurling snob.

Can I give some pointers that may provide some background for the new study?

You see these hurling snobs may not be real snobs at all. I think that deep down for many of these individuals it is just a distaste for Gaelic football.

Some are supporters of a Premier League team. Others have a certain fondness for the oval ball and may have attended more Munster and Leinster rugby games football matches.

I remember on one occasion about a year ago listening to a discussion, mainly on hurling, involving John Meyler, John Kiely and Derek McGrath.

Towards the end of the forum, each of them was asked about their views on Gaelic football and in fairness to both John Meyler and John Kiely, they mentioned about their own time playing the sport and shared the concerns of the nation in relation to the very future of it.

Thankfully, championship 2019 did see a marked improvement in the game as a spectacle.

However, when it came to former Waterford manager Derek McGrath’s viewpoint, he just issued a short statement declaring that “he couldn’t stand Gaelic football!"

I hope some of the above may give you a clearer understanding of the real makeup of a hurling snob.

To the game itself.

Figures and statistics now play a big part in our sporting lives. This was borne out by a number of the Monday morning dispatches from a sizeable section of ex-GAA players who now operate as columnists.

Twenty frees were awarded against Cork on Sunday’s clash against Limerick. In total there were 42 frees in the Páirc Uí Chaoimh encounter.

In the game between Dublin and Wexford, the Limerick whistler, Johnny Murphy, awarded 50 frees.

Seemingly, in the Dublin-Donegal clash Colm Bagnall took about 12 steps in the lead up to the decisive Dublin goal. In the same match, there was two minutes and 20 seconds involved in removing John Small and Michael Murphy, from the Croke Park arena.

Yet, the referee only played an extra minute and 20 seconds.

It goes on. Johnny Murphy flashed the yellow card on 18 occasions, in the aforementioned Dublin and Wexford game.

Back to the Cork-Limerick tie, 28 points were scored by the two free-takers: 17 by Patrick Horgan and 11 by Aaron Gillane.

Figures also come to the fore, when a discussion involved around the new sin bin.

Seemingly, in the Kerry-Meath game in Killarney, when the Royals lost Cillian O’Sullivan to the bin, Kerry outscored their opponents 1-6 to 0-1.

I wonder would the introduction of the sin bin in hurling have the same effect?

I know you will accept my apology for having the audacity of mentioning that there may even be a need for the said card in the noble game!

You will be aware, that I have a passing interest in the world of post primary-schools GAA and on Saturday last two Cork schools who operate away from the lights of the Corn Uí Mhuirí and Harty Cup won two Munster competitions.

If you opened your various Monday morning sports supplements of the national papers, these results would not have gained the column inches, but believe me when I tell you, the victories make a difference to the two school communities involved.

It has been a while since a provincial trophy arrived in the ever declining Beara division. Well, on Saturday in Fitzgerald Stadium, the young footballers from Beara CS won the Corn Sheáin Uí Mhaolomhnaigh (U19 F), when they defeated Meán Scoil Castlegregory 3-8 to 2-4.

Ben O’Sullivan was the main flag man, posting 2-3 with Dylan Crowley raised the third green flag.

Meanwhile, in the Corn Risteard Ó Mhathúna (U19 C hurling), Coláiste Treasa from Kanturk came from behind to defeat Scoil Pól, Kilfinnane 2-14 to 2-12, with Colin Walsh’s two goals proving to be vital strikes.

The lower pastures also produce green grass, congrats to all associated with the two victories.

CONTACT: paudie.palmer@hotmail.com, @paudiep