Let’s call this the Shaggy defence: “It Wasn’t Me”.
Roscommon GAA found themselves in a world of bother on Sunday morning when their plans to host Dublin in Dr Hyde Park came unstuck (in the mud).
Due to throw in at 2pm, the Allianz Football League match was moved 60 kilometres north to to Carrick-on-Shannon after a ground inspection at 9am found the home pitch of Roscommon Gaels to be unplayable.
Cue panic among Dublin fans who were on the one train bound for Roscommon town from the capital.
It seemed as if hundreds of fans would be stuck with no way to Leitrim, until Roscommon GAA announced that they would be running complimentary buses to Leitrim for fans.
Note the word complimentary.
Roscommon GAA are providing complimentary bus transfer from Roscommon to Carrick 12-20pm from Molloys bakery, Hannons Hotel & The Square
— Roscommon GAA (@RoscommonGAA) April 3, 2016
However reports then filtered through that some Dublin fans may have been charged up to €10 for buses to the game.
Dublin fans charged €10 for the 'complimentary' bus laid on by @RoscommonGAA
— Stephen Doyle (@dubsoulrebel) April 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/Ultaigh78/status/716692002654568449
https://twitter.com/TheRealAmz/status/716637245432836096
Roscommon GAA was made aware of the allegations and promised to investigate how fans could have been charged on what was meant to be a free bus service.
And late last night they issued a short statement that seemed to pin the blame on greedy private bus operators, and not the county board, who they say did provide a free bus service to some fans.
We have investigated the Bus incident and this is what we discovered https://t.co/erBYlCArUn We regret any confusion. #rosgaa #gaa
— Roscommon GAA (@RoscommonGAA) April 3, 2016
“Following a full investigation Roscommon GAA can categorically state that no person was charged to travel on the complimentary bus service provided by Roscommon GAA,” reads the statement.
“Roscommon GAA has however discovered that other people hired buses from Roscommon to Carrick on Shannon.
“We hope the matter is now closed.”
We doubt the 49-word statement is going to do much to appease the Dublin supporters discommoded by yesterday’s farcical situation.
However at least one GAA fan saw the business opportunity.
I hope some bus company in Roscommon makes a killing getting the dubs to Carrick .
— rita martin (@brucearva) April 3, 2016
Besides, at this stage we should all know what a Roscommon GAA bus looks like.
