The perils of being good at both.
Galway are without doubt one of if not the most successful dual county in Ireland. While the common conception is that the majority of hurlers are from the east of the county, and footballers from the west, the reality is that there are a number who excel at both codes.
Hurlers Cathal and Padraig Mannion, John Hanbury, Daithí Burke and Matt Donoghue are all esteemed footballers. And despite Damien Comer, Danny Cummins and Eamonn Brannigan all being better known for their exploits with the big ball, they are adept with a stick in their hands also.
When it gets to senior, the majority of these players make a choice as to which code they’ll stick with but in previous years, there hasn’t been a huge problem with players playing both codes at an underage level for Galway. Tom Flynn and Daithí Burke, for example played both codes at minor and under-21 without any problems arising.
Some problems have arisen this year, however.
Galway minor football manager Donal Ó Fatharta was interviewed on Raidió Na Gaeltachta by Cárthach Breathnach in the aftermath of his side’s comprehensive victory over Roscommon in their Connacht Championship first round clash on Friday evening.
Ó Fatharta, a member the An Spideal hurling and football club, hit out at minor hurling manager Jeffrey Lynskey for preventing a number of his panellists from playing football as well as hurling in maroon.
“They (a group of players) were with us in January but there was a decision made that I didn’t agree with and I fought as much as I could, but I wasn’t listened to at all,” began Ó Fátharta.
It is claimed that Lynskey has disallowed ten of his panel members from playing football.
“It was the manager of the hurling panel, Jeffrey Lynskey who made the decision. It wouldn’t be right that I would have that power, and in my opinion, it’s not right that anybody would have that power,” he continued.
“This first happened in February, we’re without, around ten of them who would probably be on the panel.
“But we drew a line in the sand in February and from then on we said that’s the panel we have for the year now.
“The power should be with the county board for something like that, but that’s the way it is and we’re going to work away with what we have…It will be in front of the board and the clubs in the future.”
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