“How do they not be mortified after?”
Darran O’Sullivan has called for those caught diving in Gaelic football to be named, shamed and embarrassed, in order to try and stamp it out of the game.
Last weekend, a couple of incidents occurred, but none seemed to be highlighted by big broadcasters, despite how ridiculous these situations were.
Conor Cox came on as a substitute against Mayo, and was only on the pitch for a couple of minutes before he decided to run into Matthew Ruane, and then go down holding his face, as though he had been shot.
So exaggerated was this form of simulation, the Roscommon physios were sprinting onto the field, fearing that he was actually hurt.
Speaking on the latest episode of the GAA Hour, O’Sullivan believes that we need to come down hard on those who feint injury to get players sent off.
“It’s embarrassing. I was trying to go through this without mentioning the word soccer, but we would watch a lot of the soccer the three of us, and you see a man get a bang on the shoulder and they go down holding their face and you’re going ‘how do they not be mortified after?’
“In terms of Conor like, he’s a big strong man, but what is going through your head to run into a fella and hit the deck?
“Genuinely, I don’t know, because next then they will be giving it large to a fella, telling them how tough you are.
“I would agree with it in terms of giving a black or a red, if you know someone was diving, I would give a black or red, there’s no point in giving a yellow card, a yellow card is a waste of time, fellas don’t care about a yellow card.
“I think a black or red, because your team has to suffer for it and then you would be embarrassed. Then how do you look fellas in the eye in the dressing room, or walking down the street?”
Cox wasn’t the only case of simulation at the weekend, Galway’s captain Sean Kelly did something equally as scathing, when playing against Monaghan.
Kieran Duffy has barely brushed his arm across the path of Kelly when the Tribesmen skipper went down like a ton of bricks to try and get his opponent set off.
O’Sullivan was particularly disappointed in this incident given the stellar reputation that Kelly has.
“We will just give Sean Kelly a little moment in the sun like we did to Conor, it was another embarrassing moment, and just for watching him for the last couple of years, I didn’t think he would have it in him.
“I don’t know why, but you’re always likely to think that the backs are less likely to do it. I definitely think it was a case of – he went down and it was like ‘aw I need to get back up here quick’ because it was a brush of the wrist.
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“It is just sad, and disappointing. You would hope that this is just something that has just become more prevalent and prominent, and that the more that it is highlighted then the more we can cut it out of the game.
“When certain players do it, you do think ‘I didn’t think you were like that’, but it’s definitely something that has to be highlighted, you have to shamed, embarrassed, then you get on with it, and you learn your lesson.
“And don’t do it again, now I do sound like his father, but yeah, don’t do it again.”
You can listen to the full discussion on the latest episode of the GAA Hour right here: Tyrone and Derry DESIRE, Kilkenny’s fisted-point and naming and shaming the divers
Related links:
- “It’s a sign of where Dublin are – lacking confidence”Kilkenny’s botch-up uncharacteristic for him and Dublin
- How Healy Park’s toilets played a crucial role in Tyrone’s win over Kerry
- “We did what Tyrone teams do” Mattie Donnelly hails Tyrone’s defiance after powerful win
