Former Offaly hurler Daithi Regan has condemned Davy Fitzgerald's behaviour during Wexford's League semi-final defeat to Tipperary on Sunday.
During the first half of the game, the Wexford manager came onto the pitch, unhappy that a foul had not been given in the build-up to Tipperary's second goal of the match.
Fitzgerald went toe-to-toe with Tipp's Niall O'Meara and Jason Forde. The Clareman could now face a lengthy ban from all GAA activity.
Daithi O'Regan on Davy Fitzgerald League semi-final behaviour
Speaking on Newstalk's Off The Ball, Regan said that Fitzgerald had let his team down. He also eschewed explanations by Fitzgerald that his behaviour had been an attempt to get his team going, calling it 'imbecilic, childish carry-on'.
If you're a manager and you go out like that, that's what you deserve. This is serious stuff. Lads out there giving everything they can, and an opposition manager coming on and antagonising players on the field. I guarantee you there are lots of other players who wouldn't have had the discipline the Tipp players would, and would have absolutely left him on the flat on his back.
The difficulty you have there is, is that a sending off offence? Brendan Maher showed great restraint. He is inciting opposition players on the field of play, so I think it is tantamount to something very dangerous. If a player struck him, struck him across the head with a hurl, where do we go from there?
You don't see it in rugby...it's not nice to see, and I hated the attitude afterward. You've done so well to get down there, you've raised the profile in Wexford, you've got a bunch of players of outstanding professionalism and really believing in what you are telling them what to do, and in what they are trying to do to represent Wexford. You then take so much away from that with this carry-on, imbecilic, childish carry-on that was self-indulgent. And to try and brush it under the carpet afterwards by saying 'I'm getting my players going'. No you're not.
Regan dismissed Fitzgerald's suggestion that coming onto the pitch had been a premeditated move.
He also detailed an interesting conversation he had with referee Brian Gavin following the 2013 drawn All-Ireland final between Cork and the Fitzgerald-managed Clare.
According to Regan, due to indiscipline, Gavin told a number of Clare players that they should stop listening to Fitzgerald.
What I don't accept is what Davy said afterwards, that this was premeditated. I don't accept for a minute that it was pre-meditated. I think he just lost it completely.
I don't think he said 'we've conceded two goals, I need to get the boys back focused again'. The thing that is most likely to happen in that situation is the red mist descends, and you are more liable to give a free away on the next ball because you are so pumped.
I remember in the drawn All-Ireland against Cork, Brian Gavin had to talk to a number of the Clare players, they had become so ill-disciplined toward the end of the game, a game they were so dominant in. I remember Gavin said to me after the game, 'I actually told some of the Clare players, 'for God Sake, will ye cop on and stop listening to him'. The indiscipline was creeping into the players, and they were starting to get petulant with the referee.
Regan also reiterated the point that Fitzgerald's behaviour served to lift not his own players but the opposition.
I think he's let Wexford down. It's back to typical Davy.
He does so much right, he brings such a buzz, and to say he has lifted the Wexford lads....the last time I saw Davy lift the Wexford lads was down in Wexford Park, in 2015 in a qualifier. Wexford had got a great draw in Ennis, and they brought them back down to Wexford park for a replay. Davy lifted the whole Wexford crowd and the whole Wexford team with everything that was going on on the sideline.
You're looking at that and saying 'all you are serving is to inspire the opposition here'.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
