JAMES HORAN BLASTED the Cork football management yesterday for their comments last week about his Mayo team as he described them as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘a new low’.
Horan saw his Mayo side survive to win by a point in their All-Ireland quarter-final clash in Croke Park before then expressing his fury after the game as well as refusing to shake Cork boss Brian Cuthbert’s hand afterwards.
The build-up to the match had seen Rebels selector Ronan McCarthy highlight the ‘tactical fouling’ committed by Mayo forwards Cillian O’Connor and Kevin McLoughlin.
“Our character was challenged in the lead-up to this game as well by the Cork management, which I think is unprecedented in Gaelic football, where a management team name players,” outlined Horan.
“For us it was taking the integrity of two of our players and of our team and I think it is something that is disgraceful and they should be ashamed of what they done.
“Does that make victory sweeter for us? It probably does. I just think it is a new low when you have opposition management naming specific players. They will face the Cork public after that, but we are happy with where we are.
“I just think it’s a very low act, I genuinely do, taking a player’s character and what he was saying about them just wasn’t right. I know it’s not right so for someone to come out that flippantly – Ronan McCarthy in particular to say that – I just think is completely wrong.
“I think that’s a dangerous area, that if management can say anything they want about anyone, not knowing anything about them or the values or what we try to do as a team, how we try and play.
“We’re the ones who try to play the game with an attacking based football, open and free-flowing, we’re not the ones that who put everyone behind the ball. So I just found it a particularly poor reflection on the Cork management.”
“That’s my piece and that’s just my opinion, and some people might think I’m over-reacting but when you see the effort those guys put in and they’re the most honest guys you’d come across, Cillian O’Connor and Kevin McLaughlin, I just think it’s wrong and when I think it’s wrong I’ll say it.”
Cork boss Brian Cuthbert did not respond to Horan’s comments and simply wished Mayo luck going forward.
“I’m not going to comment on that. The match is over, it’s finished. They’re after moving on to the semi-final, that’s it. Best of luck to them. James is entitled to his opinion.”
Horan insisted it was not comparable with how he had highlighted referee Joe McQuillan in the build-up to the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin.
“I haven’t heard anyone mention players and specifically target players before. I mentioned Joe McQuillan before because he had reffed A versus B games for Dublin, it’s as simple as that.
“I think it is a fair thing, all I was looking for was fairness. But to target players’ character I think is just disgraceful, that’s my opinion.”
I can’t see many having sympathy given his past.
He shamed the country. I feel sorry for the other riders whose horses ran without drugs and didn’t cheat. And that’s saying nothing about the staged burglary to steal the B blood sample from the HQ of Show jumping Ireland in the dead of night. It made us look like a bunch of gombeens.
Here come the horsey set with their red thumbs in support of Cian, tally-ho suckers !
The brown envelope comes to mind with this decision .. Shafted ..
They did however win the Most Ironically Named Horse Award.
Why did the fella run out in front of him?
Shame Sepp Blatter wasn’t in charge. Could of made a deal.
Juicstice served?
I see a lot of people saying stuff like this.. what did he do I know nothing about the man?
He won gold. Horse later tested positive. B samples went missing after a suspicious break in. Something like that.
Sound mate
Good. He’s only a cheat anyway.
I feel sorry for a lot of irish jockeys lately . Bertram Allen and yesterday Richard Howley have both being wronged by the FEI on tiny, tiny infringements. Yet they ,themselves, don’t make a big call like this which is an infringement on the actual course .
They .the FEI
Was it not when that man was in the way that O’Connor did not follow procedure to point out the unexpected obstacle?
In saying that it is a pity.
Yes. The rules are that he had to pull the horse up during the round and lodge the complaint straight away. Cian didn’t….he finished the round. Had one fence down, which was the fence directly after the man running across him, but he completed the round. Only lodged a complaint and apply after he lost out on qualification by one place because of the four faults. An International showjumper at that level should know the rules. Even more so for Cian considering his past.
Exactly, in cases like this you must stop your round and ask the judges to let you re-start it. Had he done so I am sure the judges would have allowed him to re-start. However by carrying on he was looking for two bites at the cherry. Correct decision to reject his appeal.
How is Show Jumping in the Olympics anyway? It’s presence makes a mockery off all the competitors in the real sports. Shouldn’t really be allowed. Dressidge is another one. Who came up with that nonsense?
Why isn’t horse racing included like showjumping?
What a stupid comment to make… showjumping is one of Irelands most successful sports, people who partake in any equestrian sport train just as hard as anyother sport.. its takes a lot of time, commitment and work to get to the levels of these riders and animals and its not dressidge its dressage..if you dont know the sport dont comment on it
Janis, I hardly think people who partake in equestrian “sport” have to work hard. Show Jumping and Horsey Racing are pretty much spectator sports for the riders. Sit back, relax is what’s on the cards during a ride. The only time a rider would break sweat is if they’re hitting the horse really hard with the riding crop, or maybe kicking it with the spurs. Horsey people love being cruel to animals. They’re all involved in fox-hunting and badger-baiting and the like. Stuck-up idiots
I’m surprised O’Connor took the rap…
Clearly the gag went over people’s heads (the horse usually gets the rap).
Oconnor unfairly shafted again
The rules are the rules for everyone, maybe Cian might try learning them and then following them. He lost the appeal let that be the end of it.
Not surprised at all. The incident may have cost Ireland their place because O’Connor was more concerned about the guy running out in front of him than getting on with the job and setting his horse right for the next jump. Anyway, when the jockey’s arse is bigger than the horse’s arse, our expectations weren’t high.
I Connor plus drugs equals trouble for everyone around him. Shame on him as his behaviour deserved a lifetime ban since he threatened our most valuable industry horses and farming( both linked by their very nature). I hate when people clap him at the RDS as it is like Roy Keane in the World Cup. Yet they both did well from their disgusting behaviour. This guy should have been jailed but no in Ireland he gets rewarded, just like some of our politicians snd bankers.
Most likely your man was on the same drug as Waterford crystal