ANTHONY DALY HAS hit out at the high number of frees that were awarded in some of the hurling league games at the weekend, saying it was “very frustrating” to watch.
There were 16 cards distributed in the Division 1 Group B clash between Dublin and Wexford at Croke Park on Saturday, including three red cards. The fans seemed to be annoyed by the volume of frees awarded by referee Johnny Murphy, which disrupted the flow of the game.
“I was in Croke Park and the sense of frustration around the ground that the fantastic game we have in hurling, the fantastic sport everyone will acknowledge was just stop-start, [the game] was constantly blown,” Daly began while speaking on RTÉ’s Allianz League Sunday.
Daly, who was joined by Derek McGrath, went on to mention the number of frees that were called during Limerick’s two-point victory over Cork on Sunday, where Aaron Gillane and Patrick Horgan scored a combined 0-26 from placed balls.
“92 frees in the best two surfaces in the country — Croke Park and Páirc Uí Chaoimh between 50 and 42. Do we want that?
People are saying the rules have to be applied the very same as in football. It’s not the same game as football, it’s a different game.
“If I foul Derek on the half-line in football, Derek will take a quick punt pass to somebody near him. If it’s hurling, you’ll bring Patrick Horgan back 100 yards.”
"It's not the same game as football - it's a different game" - @DaloAnto on what is great about hurling #AllianzLeagueSunday #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/70AA6QEUOp
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) February 24, 2020
When asked if frees should be ignored to promote more movement in hurling, the Clare legend responded:
“You don’t ignore [it] but there’s a medium. You have to allow somewhere for that balance where you keep law and order and let the game flow. We have to have that. And the sense of frustration… you heard Kieran Kingston use it as a bit of a flippant remark about 20 frees and they’re not supposed to be the toughest team in Ireland.
No flow to the game, very frustrating.
“We all didn’t have great games in Croke Park, I’m not blaming any particular official. What instruction are they being given [is what] I’m wondering.”
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The Ref sat night night should not be allowed to ref another county game again he wanted the limelight on himself and by god he got it,
@John Ryan: Why would you think he wanted the limelight on himself ?
Would he be that vain ?
More to do with his ability or inability to referee matches of significance and also what instructions he was under from on high.
The referee in the Limerick v Cork match was just as poor.
maybe if the players in the field weren’t fouling in the first place then the game would flow
@alphasully: The point is that refs are blowing for things aren’t fouls, where there is minimal contact.
Last Saturdays match with Wexford and Dublin has to be the worst and most frustrating I have witnessed. Ref’s need coaching in how to play advantage. Players were breaking free but still ref stopped play. Play the advantage and only blow for the obvious foul play.
Love Dalo, he calls it like it is . He’s has pure passion for the game of hurling
No point whinging about, solutions only please
how big is his head
Sean Cleere, the ref for Cork-Limerick game, must have blown at least every minute for a free. It was bordering on ridiculous.
Is Anthony Daly really a Legend ?