A HOST OF leading intercounty stars have rallied around Meath goalkeeper Paddy O’Rourke after he was subjected to some vile Twitter abuse last night.
O’Rourke, sent off in stoppage time against Westmeath in yesterday’s amazing Leinster senior football semi-final, found himself in the eye of a storm when he retweeted criticism from fellow social media users shortly after the game.
One account, which has since been suspended, threatened to knife the Skryne netminder, who is the nephew of former Meath star Colm O’Rourke.
Discussing the issue on The Sunday Game last night, the panellists agreed that abusing players online is not acceptable.
Ex-Westmeath ace Dessie Dolan said: ”It’s dangerous. It shouldn’t happen. It’s just not on that players have to deal with these sort of issues.
“(But) when you open a Twitter account as a footballer, and you see it over in England in the Premiership, it is very dangerous. A lot of managers now ask players not to do that.”
Tomás Ó’Sé agreed, adding: ”As a player, you’re always told to stay away from it. There’s nothing you can do about it.
“If someone wants to throw a comment up, they can throw a comment up.
“These guys have to go to work in the morning. If it’s a professional, grand, it’s their job and you’re going to expect some criticism but if it’s not, and it’s as serious as the stuff that went out, it’s wrong.”
O’Rourke’s Meath teammate Graham Reilly, who was black-carded yesterday, had this humourous response:
Former Laois footballer and Newstalk pundit Colm Parkinson wasn’t as sympathetic, however.
Parkinson asked why the Meath man was searching for himself on Twitter so soon after a crushing defeat.
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Parkinson has it spot on
While the people lambasting O’Rourke are cowards I have to agree that O’Rourke shouldnt be looking for sympathy after what he tweeted about Connoly
You’ve just lost a big championship game to your local rivals after throwing away a 9 point lead and you’ve deservedly been sent off for smashing a lad straight in the face that could have potentially led to a serious injury – but your first thought is to go on twitter and see what a few idiots you don’t know have to say?
He should have been apologising to the Westmeath lad, his own manager and team mates and rallying the dressing room for the qualifiers instead of looking for sympathy. He shouldn’t be getting abusive flak but he brought it on himself for that disgraceful red card and the tweet about Connolly.
So he doesn’t like it when he gets abuse on Twitter about his performance on the pitch but has no problem slagging a fellow player about their personal life? No sympathy from me (although the knifing comment was uncalled for).
What did he say about Connolly??
During the Club Final last year he tweeted ‘Diarmuid Connolly letting loose today before he gets locked up’.
That’s really uncalled for and classless to say that about a fellow player. He deserved his red yesterday but the lad that threaten to knife him should be arrested. And wooly is absolutely spot on, why is he checking twitter an hour after the game.
He tweeted a couple of times re Dermo and also favourited numerous tweets abusing Dermo. Hypocrisy at its best!
What’s the story with him tweeting about Diarmuid Connolly getting locked up? Bit rich that hes complaining now about abuse on twitter?!?
Agree with Parkinson
Not deserving of red card or criticism..
Didn’t deserve a red card? Obviously didn’t see it did you!
It was hardly a stone wall red in fairness. Can see why it was given but could have been yellow and there wouldn’t have been half as much talk about it
People are looking to be outraged at every opportunity. It was a red card but it’s no worse than a lot of challenges you see every week. The lad made a mistake, we all do.
Should have been a free out Keeper was only standing his ground