The president of the GAA has launched a blistering attack on The Sunday Game
Aogan O Fearghail branded RTÉ’s flagship sports programme ‘tiresome’ and ‘negative’, insisting that the organisation was dissatisfied with the way Gaelic games were being covered and that the issue was likely to be raised when television broadcast rights were next up for discussion.
The likes of Joe Brolly and Colm O’Rourke have been forthright in decrying the many perceived flaws in Gaelic football this season, but were especially critical of Tyrone’s disciplinary record in the wake of the Tiarnan McCann diving incident.
Cavan native O Fearghail cited that issue in particular, saying that he understood why those in the county feel they have been criticised harshly.
“I think some of the Sunday Game commentary is unfair but at this stage it’s predictable and, in fairness, it’s consistent in its negativity. So it’s fairly predictable,” O Fearghail was quoted as saying by the Irish Independent.
“It’s tiresome, I find, when people talk about smells or nastiness or anything like that. I just find that unhelpful in our sport. I like analysis where people say something (is) wrong and where they point out that something could be improved – there’s nothing wrong with that but using that type of language is not something I like, no.
“As an Ulsterman, I can understand why Tyrone feel, in general, a little aggrieved because I would share that,’ O Fearghail said.
“Tyrone do feel that they get a particularly negative criticism so I would share that but, at the same time, every county has to accept that if their members do something that isn’t correct.”
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