WHILE RUMOURS WERE flying around Mayo that Lee Keegan had picked up a serious illness, Aidan O’Shea was thousands of miles away in Australia and even he couldn’t avoid them.
O’Shea captained the Irish International Rules side Down Under last month, while there was widespread speculation in Mayo GAA circles that Keegan had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition that affects the central nervous system.
Last week Keegan, the 2016 Footballer of the Year, felt compelled to scotch the false rumours as his family were ‘upset’ by the claims.
“It’s a strange one,” says O’Shea. “It wasn’t something I seen on social media or anything like that. It was more a word of mouth. You’d love to know where these things start, it’s obviously not nice.
“Leeroy himself, just knowing the guy, I’d say it’s water off a duck’s back but for his family and people in Westport and Mayo in general, it’s not a nice rumour to have about something that’s that serious.
“I was out in Australia and boys were asking me was it true. I was like, ‘No it’s not true.’ It’s obviously not nice but it’s put to bed now and thankfully it’s done.
“People in Mayo are passionate about the game and we’re a football mad, crazy county. People love to talk about it and that’s probably why it happens.”
O’Shea himself was the subject of an absurd controversy back in May when Bernard Flynn kicked off ‘Selfiegate’ after a Meath-Mayo challenge game.
The Mayo star says the storm which followed compelled him to switch off social media for a spell.
“This year I switched it off during some of the stupid stuff that happened earlier in the year. I just turned it off because it was a different stupid story coming out everyday.
“It was probably my first year doing that because usually things aren’t that crazy. It’s something I didn’t engage in and maybe it did me a bit of good. But it’s not a big deal really.
“It was just stupid. I don’t know why it got so much traction but it did. It became kind of like wildfire then at that time and I was like, ‘There’s no need to engage in this.’”
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I love Balotelli
He logs onto Twitter
Posts 3 words
Logs off
Causes massive chaos
Doesn’t give a f*ck
The man keeps on giving, he’s got a weird charm about him. Pity about the usual racist shit. He’s right though, if he was white and saying or doing the same things he wouldn’t be subject to the same abuse
Dirt bags! Racism in this day and age should be punished with a hefty prison stint! Some ppl just take footy far too serious
United fans are such a great bunch of lads
I do not agree with the racist abuse he got. It is a total disgrace. I do not agree with his comment on twitter. He should be more professional. He is a a rival football player and really should not post a comment like that.
If I was a utd fan I would be disgusted by the racist comments, Mario may have tweeted but no need for the backlash….
Mario Balotelli is in no position to laugh at United. West Ham 3-1 Liverpool.
This is your Palace….
I’m a Man U fan and this is beyond shameful. However Every club has nasty idiots like these in their fan base, the problem is they are also the loudest… It’s disgusting what was said to Mario and they should be dealt with by the law and also if they are ManU fans then ManU should put out an apology also. Aside to that, famous people need to be more careful when using twitter also… In fact I’ve always said sports people should not even be on twitter, a lot of sports people are too dumb and twitter is too open and unregulated for disaster not to strike!!
The @craigsainsbury account isn’t even an actual person, it’s a morbid parody of those ‘ITK’ accounts and is paired with @agentdidier who’s similar – both can be very shockingly racist it’s just that only now it’s been give wide scale attention
Just thought it’d be good to get some info that reporters probably wouldn’t know
I would guess most of these guys are not in England and also well hidden. That’s why they are ‘brave’ enough to make the comments. Not real fans.
Do the offending tweeters feel the same way about the bl$&k ni$&er c$
Where is the rest of my comment?
Looks bad for you there Graham. Probably should post the rest there mate
Keyboard warrior here. Your a repulsive human being!
Dylan, that was the first line, my comment was what these guys on twitter said, I had to use the same language to make my point, is that the people who do this quickly forget the same race/ethnicity/creed play on the teams they support….. I do not know what happened to the rest of the comment. I have asked for it to remove because clearly I look like a total pr$&k. I apologize strongly to anyone offended. I deserve anything that comes my way, but if the rest of the comment was there you would see what I was getting at.
Eoin, I apologize….
I didn’t think you were a racist anyway mate. My comments have been removed for using the word p*ss so if yours isn’t then the moderation here is f*cked.
The score. Can Graham’s original comment be removed? It was clearly a mistake.
I did report my own comment, clearly it looks terrible. If ever there was a bad time for comment to get messed up, that was it! Thanks anyways. I feel terrible the way it turned out, and the fact they have left it hanging there…… It does not even make sense as it is.
Thanks Adrian.
We forgive you, Graham.
Good man Sean.
The slate is wiped clean Graham. Regular posters will know ur an honourable guy.
Pretty cr**** of the journal to leave it up. Making Graham.look bad. Do the right thing journal and delete it
I owe you guys a beer! Next time I am back in Ireland, will be in the Ball Alley in Lucan! You guys are real footie fans! Ynwa!!
Justice for Graham Kavanagh, true Arsenal legend if ever there was one to behold
The mighty Alan Sunderland! Best Sunderland ever!
I’d like an apology too please!
You should apologise for being a ‘pool fan first!
Can you leave my pint behind the bar in Courtneys. I’m to lazy to walk to the Ball Alley.
Apologies to you too Michael. I apologise for being a Pool fan, but christ, cannot be worse than being a Man U fan right now
Sure Brian…. Will pass by on the way to the chipper down by Kennys.
No one should ever apologise for being a pool fan or a man u fan, but just like religion it shouldn’t be shoved in people’s faces nor should ” banter ” result in racist remarks.