HORAN’S FURY
Mayo boss says exclusion rule is ‘outrageous’
MAYO manager James Horan claimed last night the decision to deny squad players entry into games was ‘outrageous’ and amounted to taking intercounty players ‘for granted’.
While the country looks set to move to Level 3 restrictions next week, prior to Mayo’s All-Ireland semi-final clash with Tipperary in Croke Park, it will not result in extra numbers being permitted to attend games, meaning those not included in the 26-man match-day panel will be locked out.
Horan last night railed against the restriction, arguing it could not be justified as the Championship moves to Croke Park.
‘We have been saying it for quite a while, not allowing the panel to go to games, it is outrageous, to be honest,’ said Horan. ‘I think the players, to a certain extent, are being taken for granted.
‘We have guys who have given a decade, some of them more, and it might be their last or secondlast time going there. There is obviously a need for protocols but you can’t tell me you can’t have 10 players with their ability to social distance around those stadiums? I don’t get it.’
COLIN FENNELLY is asked if any part of him felt like going full Johnny Sexton in Paris — a shake of the head at being substituted at a critical junction of the Leinster hurling final, just as the Ireland captain had worn his disappointment publicly when hooked by Andy Farrell.
But no. While the disappointment was writ large on his face and body language, there was nothing to suggest Kilkenny’s captain was challenging the decision to replace him with Liam Blanchfield in the 52nd minute as the score was turning 0-19 to 0-14 in Galway’s favour.
He says it’s not about worrying whether the cameras are on you trooping off, only about whether the team can find a way.
‘I don’t think it would be something you would be conscious of,’ says Fennelly.
‘You’re playing a Leinster final, you’re in the moment and if you’re thinking like that you’re not in the right frame of mind.’
And his team-mates did find a way. An earlier substitute, Richie Hogan for Walter Walsh, lit the torch on a stunning comeback with Hogan’s own virtuoso bit of skill to flick the ball around the side of advancing Galway goalkeeper Éanna Murphy and then flick it backwards to the net.
‘Me walking off, I was disappointed because I was absolutely gutted. I was speaking to Wally (Walsh) after the game and he was saying how disappointed he was and I was like, “Sure Wally, you’re not going to be happy so why have a smile on your face?”
‘After the game I was absolutely delighted. I was out hugging the lads, patting them on the back, just saying, “Thanks so much. Well done to put in such a huge performance”.
‘For me, to get my hands on the cup was a dream come true and I was absolutely delighted no matter how I played. At the end of the day, it’s a team and panel performance on any given day.’
He remains his own harshest critic. At this point i n his career, he has seen and done it all, from the four All-Irelands with Kilkenny to the five club All- Irelands with Ballyhale Shamrocks.
He produced a number of magic moments in helpi ng Ballyhale to back- to- back AllIrelands, including a stunning diving backwards flick into the net in the St Patrick’s Day final of 2019, while his link-up play and scoring aggregates with TJ Reid in this year’s county club championship were absolutely off the charts.
He admits to being dismayed by the way the game was going against Galway as they entered the final quarter.
‘I was certainly hugely disappointed with my own performance. I don’t think I contributed enough for the team in the game so that was disappointing. It was hard to see us breaking through. When Richie Hogan got that goal, I thought, “What’s after happening here?” It just totally opened up. A spark like that changes it.’
He understands full well that playing full-forward can be a waiting game.
‘I tried to be patient in there — it wasn’t happening. At the end of the day I probably went stale. That was the difference with Richie Hogan coming in, he had a different focus, that darting movement, a completely different player to me. That’s what changes things. It’ s huge for Brian Cody to have that option there.’
It was a topsy-turvy day from a family point of view with his brother Michael in charge of the Offaly senior hurling team that crashed out of the Christy Ring Cup to Down earlier the same day, losing on penalties.
He admits that his parents were relieved to see him round the day off by lifting the Bob O’Keeffe Cup, albeit in an empty Hogan Stand.
‘They were. To be honest, we’ve plenty of experience of ups and downs in t he game. You take it in your stride. Michael’s going to be disappointed. I’m sure he has huge aspirations with Offaly. It was a tough year for him living down in Kilkenny, having to try and train a team in Offaly with Covid restrictions and everything else.
‘Certainly for me, not having a good game, that has happened on many occasions. It’s not something you want to see for your kids but I’m playing with Kilkenny now 10 years, Michael was there 10 or 12 years — that’s just the way it is. It happens.
‘It’s a team sport at the end of the day. There’s other guys to pick up the pieces.’
The nature of the competition in Kilkenny means that it’ s dog-eat-dog in terms of fighting for selection for Saturday’ s All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford.
‘You’d be under pressure all the time — for every game. People out there might think ,“Oh yeah, he’ll start this weekend .” It’ s never the case. Grand if you think you played well but if you’re going bad in training... Brian always goes by training. He always says, “You’re as good as your last performance”. And the last performance is the last training session played. ‘They are the ones we really work on. So yeah, we’ll be under pressure. That’s throughout the team.
‘We’re far from finished this year. I hope to finish on a good note.’
Sportsmail columnist Michael Duignan recently said that TJ Reid is the best hurler he has ever seen, even ahead of 10time All-Ireland winner Henry Shefflin. So having spent so much of his career playing and training with both, for club and county, does Fennelly dare to venture an opinion? ‘I won’t be answering that one! They’re two neighbours. What they’ve done for Ballyhale and Kilkenny and for hurling is just absolutely amazing. They’re two brilliant players. I’m so fortunate to be able to train every day with these guys, have Henry then over us as manager. ‘I can’t begin to explain the opportunity. I played with TJ since I’ve been a kid. It’s been amazing, the things I’ve seen him do over the years, the games he’s won for us. ‘The experience of hurling out of Henry is unbelievable — I probably have a lot to thank Henry for where I am at the moment. He’s just been a leader. TJ has certainly taken over that role.’