February’s fists of fury

THE greatest number of eyes will be trained on O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny this afternoon – not necessarily just to observe who wins between Donegal and Kerry, but to check out if the teams decide to follow up on last year’s ‘Blows of Tralee’.

There were two red cards, two black cards, and six yellow cards shown in that meeting between the warring pair. It’s likely, however, that the fans will be disappointed if they expect anything more than a teak-tough but mannerly opening encounter in the Allianz Football League.

Elsewhere, however, there’s a good chance of fireworks.

Football and hurling teams know that they get away with all sorts of misbehaviour and skullduggery at this time of year. They know that winter and spring is when they are permitted to wreak havoc on sworn enemies, and that whatever suspensions and fines are slapped down will largely have been worth it.

Come summertime of course, and the Championship, everyone’s on their best of behaviour. It would have been a good idea if the managers were ordered up to Croke Park before hostilities were due to resume and told that ‘February fisticuffs’ will not be tolerated any longer. Team discipline should extend for 12 months of the year.