“I’d love to point out that is Kieran McGeeney had done what Davy Fitzgerald did he’d be gone out of the game for a long time. That is a fact, he would be.”
It is hard to argue with that statement.
But why, that is the question. Is Ulster football treated differently to the other provinces? Is Kieran McGeeney seen as a character who needs to be kept on a short leash? Is hurling a special case? Is Fitzgerald’s promotional value to the sport seen as something that cannot be done without for any longer than eight weeks?
Last week it was revealed that Armagh manager McGeeney had been handed a 12-week ban for an alleged verbal altercation with linesman Joe McQuillan during his county’s league victory over Antrim.
Kieran McGeeney set for much bigger ban than Davy Fitzgerald for much milder offence | SportsJOE.ie https://t.co/2DgptTo6Cv
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 25, 2017
It would have seemed excessive in its own right, but considering Wexford hurling manager Fitzgerald had just escaped with an eight-week ban for entering the field of play, provoking two Tipperary players and swinging out of Jason Forde’s face guard, it seemed downright draconian.
Both men will most likely only miss their counties’ opening two Championship fixtures, but the apparent disparity in punishments and the crimes enraged GAA Hour host Colm Parkinson.
“Three months! Chris almighty, it is not right,” said Parkinson at the beginning of last week’s show [listen from 1′ or continue reading below].
“On the face of it, what could he have said? We don’t know what he said to McQuillan. What could he have said that deserved a three-month ban?
“When you see – I know it is a different sport – but you see Neil Taylor breaking Seamus Coleman’s leg and he gets two games. You’ve got Davy Fitz and he comes in, roughing up two players, getting in altercations, potentially causing a riot, a free-for-all.
“I’d love to point out that is Kieran McGeeney had done what Davy Fitzgerald did he’d be gone out of the game for a long time. That is a face, he would be.
“When you’re looking at Davy Fitzgerald and the potential danger of what he did and you are comparing this with a manager losing his cool on the sideline and insulting a referee – I am speculating here – insulting a referee, saying something to a referee. These punishments don’t tally up as far as I am concerned.”
Both men contribute massively to Gaelic games, but it seems there is one rule for the hurling boss and another for the football manager.
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