The GAA thread - part deux

81

Cood and Higgins are the 1st of the Rathnure players to confirm they can’t be arsed to play with Wexford. Fook them.

Press Release

Wexford hurling manager John Meyler has been hit with another early blow with the news that Paul Codd has decided to retire from inter-county hurling.

This comes just a few days after long standing full-back Darragh Ryan also decided to hang up his boots for Wexford.

Codd is expected to continue with Rathnure having played a starring role in guiding them to the county senior title this year.

Last week Codd was non-committal as to his inter-county future.

When asked as to his availability for next season, Codd informed the new manager that he would not be in a position to give the necessary commitment.

A source close to the team management confirmed: ‘John Meyler has spoken with Paul. The player feels that he will not be able to give the required commitment so will not be part of the squad.’

This year he came on as a late sub in the All-Ireland quarter-final demolition to Clare.

It signalled the end of Codd’s inter-county career, the highlight of which was coming on as a substitute in the 1996 All-Ireland final victory over Limerick.

He will also be remembered for displaying a ‘Paddy Power’ bookmaker logo on his hurl in the 2003 All-Ireland Hurling semi-final against Cork.

Codd’s clubmate Nigel Higgins has also stunned the management by not making himself available to the squad.

Higgins left the squad in controversial circumstances this year but has also informed John Meyler that he would not be in a position to give the required commitment to training.

His decision is a real blow given the shortage of quality forwards in the county.

Better news for Meyler is that Rory McCarthy returned to gym training on Sunday morning and will be available for a further championship campaign.

McCarthy and keeper Damian Fitzhenry are the last remaining links with the 1996 All-Ireland winning side.

82

F**king Rathnure lads are all headcases, leave them where they are. I’d sooner have 15 committed players from Junior club than the likes of Codd playing. Did you go to that after Bandage? Remember seeing it in the Guardian but forgot all about it.

83

bt, no I didn’t go to that in the end. I was in work late that night but after appendage’s post I wasn’t sure whether I would have gone anyway.

As for the Rathnure lads, sure there’s no point in them playing if they’re not fully committed. But the real shame is that they’re not committed in the first place. Wexford isn’t so rich with talent that we can afford to have some of our best players just blatantly not being bothered to play. It’s really very disappointing. It might tie into appendage’s posts about tradition and how a young KK or Cork player will put everything into playing for his county team as he knows he’s a smashing chance to win the ultimate prize. However, in the modern climate it seems some guys from Wexford just aren’t willing to make the sacrifices as they can’t see the rewards following. It takes someone like a Griffin or a Loughnane or a Micko in football to get everyone committed to playing for the jersey. I wish John Meyler all the best though. The least I expect is for us to be competitive

84

Fook it bandage this has been bugging me since I read about Codd and Higgins being non commital. I take Bt’s point about being aswell off without these guys but fook it do they not have a responsiblity to themselves, their families and their counties to play for Wexford? Is it really a question of choice? These 2 are probably the 2 most effective forwards in the county, and to just say no I couldn’t be arsed, fookin scandalous because its not work commitments that is preventing them. Work can be managed in this era.

Big swing giving up the beer and chips for 8 or 9 months, playing for your county on the big days in Croker is a fookin honour that can’t be bought and winning titles there is the ultimate, I can’t understand how anyone could turn their nose up at that opportunity. I’ve always dreamed of it but sadly a lack of co ordination and basically suffering from small man syndrome has always counted against me. Now I line out for the junior b s, but so be it.

Its not as if they’re giving up the game altogether either as presumbly both will be leading lights for Ra’nure next year when they will once again be in the shake up.

Codd in particular should know better, given the tradition he comes from and the fact that Griffin thought enough of him as a 19 yr old in 96 to give him a run in the final.

A sad day for Wexford hurling, and shameful to mention it in the same breath as the retirement of the great Darragh Ryan, a man who epitomised bravery and would’ve been a success at any sport given his dedication and ability to over come the pain barrier.

Codd and Higgins are only 2 of a number of Wexford’s talented players to turn their back on the county over the last few years. What the fook is wrong? Was Hogan right in 96, is their something wrong with the blood that flows in our veins?

Early retirement is ok if a lad has contributed and can do no more a la corcoran in 01 but these 2 have contributed fook all. Fook it I’m angry again now.

85

It’s shocking to hear of guys just not bothered about representing the county. It’s strange to think of guys who could be dedicated club players but not want to take that to the next level. Dublin GAA has its problems but a lack of commitment from the players is not one of them. It does seem to be a bigger problem in Wexford hurling than elsewhere but I assumed a change of management would bring everyone back to the fold again.

86

Was watching a bit of that Underdogs football game earlier against Cork ladies and it was absolutely hilarious. One of the Underdog birds was taking frees off the ground and hitting them with all her might and still couldn’t rise the ball above the crossbar. I love women’s sport; it’s great laugh!

87

Was just catching up on Wexford news there and the underage GAA convention was held last week. 4 of the 5 posts at the top table weren’t filled due to a lack of interested candidates. So we have a Coiste na nOg Chairman but no Secretary, PRO etc. In addition, we always struggle to get underage selectors, especially in football. We’re not going to close the ever widening gap between ourselves and the best if we don’t have a solid underage structure. Worrying times for Wexford; the encouragement being we have talent coming through as evidenced by our Under-14 hurlers winning the All Ireland last summer and also with some of our retired greats starting to get involved with the teams. We need them more than ever to inspire the young lads

88

I have been out of the loop in this thread for a while. Is Darragh Ryan better than Brian Lohan? He is definitely far superior to the dire Diarmuid O’Sullivan. I bow to your superior hurling knowledge on this one. Saw DOC keep Henry Shefflin quiet (2-20 he got) in a Leinster final a few years ago but the Kilkenny ace was definitely carrying an injury.

On the whole retirement issue I honestly don’t think that you can blame someone for retiring from intercounty football/hurling. I have seen many players over the years give of their time only to be abused by some fat fucker who only goes along to do just that. Why bother? Is the pride in your county so strong so as you even want to do it for someone like that?

89

In defence of ‘Doc’ he kept Shefflin scoreless from play in the 2005 Leinster Final and conceded 1-2 to him in this year’s final, albeit the goal coming when Comerford came bursting through the middle, drew ‘Doc’ to him and then offloaded for Shefflin to volley the ball home. Not really Doc’s fault. I don’t know the chap but I like him as a player. I have heard he’s a big, thick, gormless fool though.

90

No Lohan was a better full back than Darragh Ryan. Don’t listen to these guys farmer, they have Wexford tinted glasses on. Darragh Ryan was a fine full back and far better than O’Sullivan but I wouldn’t rate him as highly as Lohan.

91

I never saw anybody get the better of Darragh Ryan. Even when Wexford have had a pitiful forward line and our defence had to deal with an absolute avalanche of ball coming in he still dominated his direct opponent every time, in every game of consequence, coming out with ball after ball. Then when he arrives back into his position he’s faced with another ball coming back in just as quickly and out he comes and wins that one again.

Lohan has got a fair few chasings in his time but seems to be one of these media favourites who was above and beyond criticism even when he made glaring mistakes. Ryan was stronger, tighter, far faster and much better in the air - the prototype full back. We are honoured to have had play for us.

92

I can recalll Lohan getting skinned twice:

Paul Shelly for Tipperary (2000 direction)
Anthony Quinlan for Waterford (1998 direction - First game. The Tony Browne incident happened in the replay where Colin Lynch hacked the shins off him before the ball was thrown in)

93

He got murdered last year (2005) against that wonderful giant of the game, Micheal Webster, of Tipperary! Conceded 2 goals from play and was generally destroyed throughout.

This season just gone he was blatantly at fault for Kilkenny’s early goal - he had a fresh air at it and Sheffln, standing behind him, hammered it home. He then proceeded to give free after free away with his usual dragging and swiping style.

Alcohol has somewhat blurred my earlier memories but I recall the Shelley chasing. My brother and I often commented on the amount of times his man got the better of him right throughout the 1990s and since 2000 he has been quite abject.

One of the most vastly overrated players of this generation.

94

I can recalll Lohan getting skinned twice:

Paul Shelly for Tipperary (2000 direction)
Anthony Quinlan for Waterford (1998 direction - First game. The Tony Browne incident happened in the replay where Colin Lynch hacked the shins off him before the ball was thrown in)
[/quote]

He famously got skinned by Eugune Cloonan in the club final of 97 (I think). Apparantely before the ball was thrown in cloonan turned to Lohan and said ‘I’m eugune Cloonan, who are you?’. This to the best full back in the country at the time. Cloonan then preceded to score something like 10 points off him. Where did it all go wrong Eugune?!

95

Did anyone see Graham Geraghty will be battling it out for a Dail seat next year? He won one of the Fine Gael nominations in the Meath West constituency. That made me laugh for some reason.

96

It made me laugh because he’s an arsehole.

When he was at the beginnings of his fame he went for a job in Dublin Airport. They were givng him a job as an airport policeman and he was pretty much guaranteed the job. Current Dublin selector Paul Clarke is an airport policeman and the airport believed it was a good strategy to increase the profile of the company by getting intercounty footballers to work there. So Geraghty went in to an interview, with the employers having already decided to give him the job and he blew it. Started waffling about not liking hard work and he quit his last job because he didn’t like working at all. Gobshite.

Lazy, allegedly racist, bastard and now he wants to get elected.

Says it all about mainstream politics in this country. Nothing about policies or beliefs or anything - just pick a famous arsehole and try and get him elected. I can’t wait for politicians to call to my door. I’m going to hound the fuckers out of it.

97

From memory Lohan didn’t get skinned that day, Cloonan got 9, 7 from frees. Hardly a skinning. The papers as usual hyped up the high scoring free taker.

Big respect for Lohan, played the second half of the 95 final with a ripped hamstring. Think he hung around a year or 2 too long though.

I can’t believe that Geraghty thing. Surreal. Tony Dempsey got through the last time on the back of his GAA profile but at least he was bright and successful(albeit ineffective politician). Strange times for our country, we’re following America’s lead again with Jesse Ventura the governor of some random state and Arnie in California.

98

Well lads, just catching up here…unlike Appendage, I managed to rise above the cesspit that is Junior B and am a current inter-county hurler. I can empathise with what he says though…he’s clearly a guy who is passionate about the game but who never had a snowball’s chance in hell of making it because, well, because he’s shite basically.

I haven’t been on here in a while because I started back training for '07 with the county four weeks ago…hard fooking work but I do it because it’s such an honour to wear that jersey. I do it because I know there are lads like Appendage all over this country who would give their right arm and left testicle to do what I have done every year since 2001…play with my county in a championship game in Croker…that, my friends, is worth anything, and I can understand why Appendage is so pissed off with some of his fellow county men who clearly don’t give a fook.

Personally I’m not from Wexford like a lot of you guys, so I possibly have a more objective view. I wouldn’t be that worried about Darragh Ryan giving up, I would have thought that you have a readymade replacement in Doc O’Connor…I remember playing Fitzgibbon against him and he was deceptively fast for a big lad…I know that’s six or seven years ago now, but he has a fair bit of inter-county mileage behind him now and he comes across as fairly dedicated.

To be honest with you, I think what Wexford need most of all is a few forwards with balls…they were such a cowardly bunch of fancy-dans last year. I pitied those Wexford backs working their holes off and lamping balls up to those lads who were totally incapable of doing anything but admire themselves. When was the last time a Wexford forward got a yellow card for trying to ‘do’ a back? A bit of blood and thunder wouldn’t go astray, that crew they had up front last year ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Have to go lads…the midnight hour is striking and I’ve a gym session at 7am…no rest for the wicked, but it’s the thought of Croker next September that keeps me going.

99

Can’t believe this was way down on the third page - even during a quiet spell for our native games.

Anyway might head along to the Dublin V Stars game on Saturday in my beloved Fingal. It’s a very strong Dublin team and the Stars team aren’t bad either:

DUBLIN - Stephen Cluxton (Parnells); David Henry (Raheny), Barry Cahill (St Brigid’s), Stephen O’Shaughnessy (Lucan); Paul Casey (Lucan), Bryan Cullen (Skerries), Colin Moran (Ballyboden St Enda’s, captain); Ross McConnell (St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER), Darren Magee (Kilmacud Crokes); Kevin Bonner (St Brigid’s), Declan Lally (St Brigid’s), Ray Cosgrove (Kilmacud Crokes); David O’Callaghan (St Mark’s), Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Jason Sherlock (Na Fianna).

Subs: John Leonard (St Sylvester’s), Niall O’Shea (St Jude’s), Declan O’Mahony (Ballyboden), Shane Ryan (senior) (Nh Mearng), Pat Burke (Kilmacud), Colin Prenderville (Fingal Ravens), Donnacha Reilly (Skerries), Barry O’Hanlon (St Pat’s, Palmerstown), Graham Cullen (Skerries), Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes), Chris Guckian (St Jude’s), Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud), Shane Ryan (junior, Nh Mearng).

DUBS STARS - Stephen Gallagher (UCD); Willie Lowry (St Vincent’s), Paddy Navin (UCD), John McCarthy (UCD); Paul Griffin (Kilmacud Crokes), Ger Brennan (St Vincent’s), Coman Goggins (Ballinteer St John’s); Pat Gilroy (St Vincent’s), Sean Brady (UCD); Billy Sheehan (UCD), Alan Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER), Austin O’Malley (UCD); Dermot Connolly (St Vincent’s), Tomas Quinn (St Vincent’s), Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER).

Subs: Paul Copeland (St Jude’s), Brian Kirby (Thomas Davis), Micheal Lyons (St Jude’s), Derek Murray (Round Towers, Clondalkin), Mark Davoren (Kilmacud Crokes).

100

We are opening our 2007 campaign on Sunday in Rosslare against Dundalk IT in the O’Byrne Cup. Setanta are showing live games in this competition - they’re starting off with Micko’s Wicklow against Carlow on Saturday. It’s a cracking station really but it appears only those on the ntl platform in Dublin have it - I don’t know anyone in Wexford that has it; more than worth the tenner a month for the sports package.

We have lost our wing back Paraic Curtis who’s going to the US. Shane Cullen, a utility player who’s played a bit over the last 2 years is also out for this season (Australia). John Hudson, who would have been one of the main supports to Forde is also out (working in Drogheda and unable to fully commit). He flattered to deceive so I don’t think he’s that big a loss to be honest. We have also lost 2 veterans, Leigh O’Brien and John Hegarty, who were on the bench last season. Their time had come but both were great servants and proud to wear the jersey going all the way back to the darkest old days. Wexford legend Willie Carley is on board as a selector to help Bealo out and we’ve been back since mid November. I still have high hopes for these lads and with Forde in your side then anything’s possible.

Dublin are playing DCU next Tuesday under lights in Clann na Gael’s grounds in Ringsend in the O’Byrne Cup too. I plan on attending.