PLAYERS HAVE TO BE ROLE MODELS - O’MAHONY
KERRY GAA legend Aidan O’Mahony has warned intercounty players they have a suty as role models after the identity of a Limerick hurler, arrested for a public order incident in a bar, was revealed on social media. The incident which took place hours after last Sunday’s Munster SHC clash between Limerick and Tipperary was reported on mainstream media on Tuesday night. However, both the Limerick squad member and the Tipperary player, who was also involved, were revealed on social media. The Limerick player is understood to have been questioned at Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick but was released without charge. A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The incident has rocked the All-Ireland hurling champions, with the Limerick County Board issuing a brief statement late on Tuesday night, saying: ‘The matter has been dealt with internally by management and no further comment on the matter will be made at this time.’ However, Kerry’s five-time All-Ireland winner O’Mahony insisted that it should
serve as a reminder to high profile GAA players that
the rules of confidentiality that apply in the mainstream does not extend to social media. ‘I was disappointed to see the player being named for their families and work colleagues sakes,’ said O’Mahony. ‘Their names are being brandished across the media and a lot of people commenting on it before they know the ins and outs. ‘It’s a tough place for those players to be in today. I know Limerick County Board have issued a statement on it. ‘They’re out at the weekend again (against Clare in Ennis on Sunday) and there will be a lot of eyes on that game for maybe the wrong reasons. ‘The only ones that will know what happened are the two players that were there. ‘That’s the world we live in. Phones are whipped out before you know it. Players are in the public eye constantly and they need to be aware of themselves. ‘GAA is huge in this country and you’re a role model for people coming up along the line. ‘Everyone has a phone and you can’t walk in anywhere now without someone knowing you,’
O’Mahony wrote on his Paddy Power blog. This is not the first time that Limerick hurlers have been caught up in a social media storm. In 2019, when Limerick played Kilkenny in an exhibition match in New York, phone footage of two players fighting in the street went viral and resulted in the pair being sent home.