Dermot Keely's explosive comments on the '42,000 morons' who went to the Aviva to roar on the Liverpool reserve team against Tallaght's finest, Shamrock Rovers, has generated a fair old barney on Balls.ie's social media forums.
By and large, most of the commenters have reacted against Keely's attitude. The top comment in Facebook Likes terms was from Shane Conran, who inserted the proviso that he was United fan to ensure us of his impartiality.
A bit over the top , and I'm a Utd fan. Not everyone can afford to travel to England and see their team playing , whether it's Anfield or Old Trafford or wherever. If the team you support is playing on your doorstep , why shouldn't you take the chance to bring your kids and go to the game, it might be the only chance for many
Be Nolan was particularly scathing about the League of Ireland in his comment.
Well id rather pay €30 to watch there reserves, who play good football and a good atmosphere , than €15 into belfield with 100 other fans and the ball been lumped forward, he is just jealous that there was more fans at that match than the whole League of Ireland games this month
Ray Whelan spoke of the joys of supporting a League of Ireland side in one of the best posts on the entire thread.
It might be unfair to label 42k people as "morans" especially as I was one of them, albeit in the extremely small "home" section but it is certainly moronic that such a situation exists.
A Dutch flag a with Bayern Munich written on it would be an internet sensation and a laughing stock given the pride of both nations and their mutual history yet the legions of uncle Toms in Ireland don't see the issue with a Tricolour with an English team emblazoned across it?
Me. I feel sorry for them. Nothing that's easy is as enjoyable as something that has to be earned. Friends,comradeship, highs,lows,European trips,weekends away, one-upmanship.......All in a days work for a football fan from any country.
I'm beyond trying to convert people. They either want to know or they don't and if they don't....they don't know what they're missing.
Phil Mahady and Diarmuid Browne enjoyed a fairly forthright exchange, with the former hostile to Keely's comments and the latter supporting them.
