JAMESIE O’CONNOR BELIEVES his former boss Ger Loughnane has done a disservice to the hurlers of Offaly after he openly questioned their fitness ahead of the new inter-county season.
Former Clare and Galway hurling manager Loughnane, writing in his Irish Daily Star column, stated, that Offaly were ‘the only team in the modern era with fat legs, bellies and arses’. He precluded that by saying the county remained in the hurling Dark Ages.
O’Connor, who played under Loughnane with the Banner County for 12 seasons, told Off The Ball on Friday that his old manager may have had a ‘wry smile’ on his face as he wrote his latest, controversial column.
O’Connor agreed with Joe Molloy, the show’s host, that Loughnane’s comments were harsh. He said, “Where’s [former Offaly hurler] Daithí Regan this evening? I’m sure he’d like to respond to those comments from Ger.
“Look, I don’t know whether Ger is making mischief or whether Ger has maybe a little bit too much time on his hands. You can be sure that there was a wry smile when he penned those words.” O’Connor continued:
I think he’s probably doing a disservice to, I’d imagine, the majority of the Offaly players, given the way they work. But [Clare defender] Brendan Bugler made a point today in one of the local papers that inter-county hurling is a lifestyle, not a hobby. I was involved in the Munster team last weekend and the physical conditioning of most of these guys… there isn’t a pick on them. They’re lean, they’re fit and that’s the way they are.
“I’m sure the Offaly hurlers, when they take the pitch on Sunday against Laois will need no motivation other than the words Ger said… maybe he had money on an accumulator and was worried about the threat Laois might pose. I’d imagine the Offaly hurlers will give their response to Ger on Sunday.”
You can here more of O’Connor’s thoughts here >>>
Conveniently not seen or mentioned…..was the citing commissioner in the jacks to miss Wilson’s stamp?
Maybe so, but it’s still petty of Leinster to start drawing attention to it.
It defeats the purpose of an independent citing commissioner and harks back to the tit for tat citings of the early noughties.
The big difference in the 2 incidents is that McGrath had 2 or 3 goes at Best’s ankle. Hardly a one off rush of blood or an accident
Roger Wilson kneed McGrath in the side and then stamped on his ankle. That’s multiple strikes like McGrath. They both deserve some kind of ban.
It was before Mc Grath’s.
Wilson put the knee into McGrath and them stamped the ankle for no reason but to hart him.
Why doesn’t the score post the alleged stamp by Wilson. I looked at it and saw nothin too pull anyone on. Too the Score.ie put it up!
Better go to specsavers so Philip Ryan; if it was a Munster player you’d be laying it on heavy; I seem to remember you chasing after Kane Douglas over “nothing” as well; pots calling kettles black me thinks; typical trolling
Who’s Kane Douglas??
The Douglas thing was a cowardly cheap shot from behind. Different kettle of fish.
Who are you phil ryan?
It was only a tickle. If he gets any punishment, it will be at the lowest end of the scale (2 weeks) with one week reduced for exemplary discipline history, meaning at most he’ll miss the Cardiff game at the weekend.