PAUL GALVIN HAS released a statement on his website regarding the controversial spitting incident that took place in last month’s All-Ireland intermediate club final.
Galvin has confirmed that he was ’100%’ spat on during the game where he was in action for his club Finuge.
The Kerry outfit lost out to Tyrone’s Cookstown by 1-9 to 0-6 in the Croke Park clash.
YouTube footage that came to light last week showed a member of the Tyrone outfit appearing to spit at Galvin while running past him during the game.
Tyrone star Owen Mulligan has defended the actions of his club on Twitter and Facebook, while also claiming that they were the victims of ‘sick and vile sectarian abuse’.
But Galvin has distanced himself from claims regarding verbal abuse.
Here’s his statement in full:
“Further to recent YouTube footage and press reports relating to a spitting incident in last months Intermediate club final I would like to 100% confirm for the record that I was spat on during the game.“Furthermore I will utterly and unequivocally distance myself from claims made regarding verbal abuse during the game. That I have to defend myself or clarify my position in this regard is as disappointing as it is wrong.
“I will also add that I made no comment or complaint, publicly or privately, at the time of the incident, as when the game finishes it is finished in my view and i have no interest in dragging this matter out.
“I am only doing so now as footage of the incident found its way into the public domain and for some reason I have been forced to confirm what I know to have happened.
“Finally I would like to congratulate Cookstown on their victory. I have played in 12 All Ireland finals in both codes, winning 8, and this is one All Ireland I can live without.
“Tyrone football is full of men I admire greatly, men like Mickey Harte and Peter Canavan, who when I was 16 years old sought me out after a schools game against Cookstown and told me “you ‘ll play for your county one day son.”
“Those words inspired me many times growing up. The path that the Kerry/Tyrone rivalry has taken of late disappoints me. Both counties are better than the bitterness and rancour that currently exists.
“I will make no further comment on the matter at this point.”
Here’s the YouTube footage of the incident that has generated such controversy.
