When a ‘Back Door’ system was first introduced to hurling in 1997, aside from the usual and expected negative, entrenched, old-fashioned mindsets declaring it the ruination of hurling as we knew it, the other fascinating factor was the fixtures it threw up.
In that sense, the meeting of Tipperary and Down. As a contest, of course, the Clones fixture was never going to get any award nominations, but as a novel pairing that otherwise might not have come up, it was the portent for what was to come when football was afforded similar reform four years thereafter. Not to mention all the roadtrips, picnics and pitstops which became another perk of the new system.
So it was that the back door was extended to all the major inter-county GAA competitions. Or so it seemed. For some reason, U-21 – now U-20 – Championships were treated like the poor relations of the Association, almost swatted out of the way like an annoying wasp.
Regrettably, the Brains Trust in Dublin 3 have form for this type of disrespectful nonesense. See the All Ireland Junior Championships, the Tommy Murphy Cup and the Railway Cups as shameful examples of same. As all the while they remain beholden to the useless, pointless nuisances that are the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup farces.
And, to a worryingly increasing degree, the sexing-up of the club scene. No doubt there are tradionalists choking on their false teeth having disgested the above statement. However, much as they might try to window dress it in some other fashion, the fact is the inter county game is where the money is and dough is what makes the world go round.
Without the prioritisation of the county scene the liquidity to allow clubs not only survive but thrive and prosper simply wouldn’t be there.
All the above will probably keep administrators busy for decades to come, but for now they must refine and extend what is commendable progress made in certain areas in the last few seasons.
The Round Robin format in the provincial hurling championships and the use of Hawk Eye, for example. The former has breathed desperately needed new life into the regional competitions and needs to be put to work in football post haste.
That said, the need for proper and expanded use of HawkEye is an even more pressing issue. Video technology was first brought in by the GAA after Limerick’s Barry Nash was robbed of a blatant point in an All Ireland Minor Final some years ago.
The failure to make proper use of available technology cost the Treaty County dearly again on Sunday last. Now, at the very least, every inter-county ground should have a facility to provide video assistance to match officials.
Having said that, what transpired in Thurles was even worse because the technology is in place in the birthplace of our games but, as far as I’m aware, it is only used to adjudicate whether a ball has gone inside or outside an upright.
Thus, even though the great Dicky Murphy of Wexford was on duty at the All Irelland U-20 Hurling Final between Kilkenny and Limerick, it is my understanding that the equipment couldn’t be used regarding something like the winning ‘score’. Again, one sits to be corrected regarding same.
The following is not a dig at Kilkenny in any way – the cock-up was not of their making – but the fact is Paddy Langton’s shot was no more over the bar than my wheelchair has been over the moon!
In actual fact, to quote the late, great Brian Lenihan Snr, ‘on mature recollection’ having had it brought to my attention, it is indisputable that Kilkenny were also done out of a blatant point, which again could and should have been rectified in a couple of seconds.
All the multiple errors do is underline that need for the available technology to be rolled out fully and properly. There’s no point in doing a half baked job. You wouldn’t put a half baked apple tart on the kitchen table, would you?
But as was hinted earlier, that was only one of several ways in which the U-20 competitions are being short changed at present. There should have been Hawkeye, all inter-county competitions above Minor should be 35 minutes per half and there should be either a Round Robin format, a back door, or both.
To their credit, neither side appeared to make an issue out of the obvious and in one case very costly errors by the umpires. Still, when something like the controversial score occurs, what was, in this case at least, a truly exceptional game of hurling can get lost in the din.
In many ways, the match ended up being a shootout between Kilkenny’s Billy Drennan and Aidan O’Connor of Limerick. But there were several subplots at play also. None more significant, perhaps, than Derek Lyng becoming the latest Brian Cody protégé to not only go into management but mastermind success for his charges therein as well.
Following in the sideline footprints of James McGarry, Michael Kavanagh, Michael Fennelly, DJ Carey, Martin Comerford and Henry Shefflin. Naturally, the question nobody wants to ask will someday become a reality – who will take over from Cody when the baseball cap is eventually hung up?
Not that there’s any indication that’s liable to happen any time soon. Indeed, last weekend’s victory will only increase the attraction to the position. To both the incumbant and whomever may eventually come in his stead.
Outside of the aforementioned Drennan and Langton, Ian Byrne, Denis Walsh,Padraig Moylan and Timmy Clifford were among those to go into the notebook for future reference. Though this is only my view, it may be the case that Limerick see as many if not more of their vanquished warriors on this occasion grace the biggest stage of all.
Some of them the sons of former dignitaries of the green and white, like goalkeeper Conor Hanley-Clarke, son of the outstanding wing back Dave, and Gary Kirby’s two lads, John at midfield and Patrick on the edge of the square.
Where they could quite easily be joined by wing backs Cian Scully and Colm Coughlan, midfielder Jimmy Quilty, wing forward Adam English and Shane O’Brien at corner forward.
Obviously, Diarmuid Mullins – nephew of Dublin legend Brian – and his players will have been bitterly disappointed to have lost, especially given the nature of the reverse. But all the indications are that Limerick will be a powerhouse of the game for a while yet.
It’s just a pity they – and the game as a result – were short changed by the odd manner in which the GAA adapts to change.
Kilkenny were the better team throughout the game so why cast doubt on their fine performance. They also had a point denied in the first half!
At no point was I trying to or would I take away from Kilkenny’s victory. At the time of typing I was unaware that they too had a score wrongly chalked off. Article has been amended accordingly.