FORMER Armagh manager Paul Grimley has criticised those in public office and other high-profile people “who should know better” for “feeding the sewer of social media” following the fall-out of an eye-gouging incident that has come to overshadow last Sunday’s thrilling All-Ireland quarter-final between Armagh and Galway.
Television pictures appeared to show Tiernan Kelly – a non-playing member of the Armagh squad – clawing at the face of Galway player Damien Comer as both sets of players and officials left the Croke Park field at the end of normal time, where some opponents clashed, before reappearing for extra-time.
Since the controversy, 22-year-old Kelly has been vilified on social media – while also being defended by a growing number of GAA figures.
Grimley urged those still adding “fuel to the fire” to stop and wants an end to what he described as a “nationwide witch-hunt” against the Clann Eireann footballer.
“There is nobody here in Armagh that is defending the actions of what happened - absolutely nobody,” said Pearse Og clubman Grimley.
“We’re accepting that the action was misguided, wrong and happened in the heat of the moment.
“We all know social media is a sewer but what I’m annoyed about is everyone jumping in on top of the lad; there is this rush to be first to express their disgust. It’s a case of who can get in here quickest.
“Then, the pressure increases and it becomes a rolling stone. Everybody has to make a comment.
“I mean, you’ve got the Taoiseach commenting on this and it leads on to radio programmes. And there are some people commentating on this who don’t give a damn about the GAA. Some of their words are as irresponsible as the act itself.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “disturbed” by the events at Croke Park while Irish sports minister Catherine Martin referred to the eye-gouging incident as “absolutely appalling”.
Grimley feels their respective interventions have exacerbated the situation.
“There have been worse cases in the GAA over the last number of years but, irrespective of the incident, there has to be a duty of care to the lad involved,” said Grimley, who helped guide Armagh to the 2002 All-Ireland title and managed his county in 2013 and ’14.
“The lad did wrong and the GAA will take care of it and I’m sure Armagh will accept the punishment and support the lad.
“But what’s happening is wrong – this is a nationwide witch-hunt against a young lad who has clearly done wrong and is probably realising the consequences of it. But there are people who are contributing and commenting on this that should know better.”
We all support mental health issues. One moment of madness does not define this young man and player. Consider your actions carefully before posting anything. pic.twitter.com/mYzG7s5DCS
— Steven McDonnell (@StevenMcD13) June 28, 2022
Grimley praised the actions of both management teams who were seen in the same television footage trying to break up the melee as the players made their way into the Cusack Stand tunnel.
“Damien Comer is a great player, a strong player, built like a middleweight boxer. In fairness to him, he didn’t make a big issue out of it, he got on with the game and that’s to his credit,” Grimley added.
“The Galway management and the Armagh management were trying to break up the group – Ciaran McKeever, Kieran Donaghy, Kieran McGeeney, Padraic Joyce, Cian O’Neill and the rest of the Galway management team were all doing the same.
“I didn’t hear of anybody who had to go to hospital or anything like that.”
While there have been calls for the GAA to use different entrances and exits for teams to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future, Grimley doesn’t believe there’s enough evidence for the Association to change approach.
“If you look over the last 20 years of the GAA when has there been a problem in the tunnels? There have been a handful incidents and that would be the height of it. Every sport – soccer, rugby – they all walk out together, and that’s the way it should be.”
