Joe Brolly laments the loss of 'good, honest violence' in GAA.
Gone are the days when players could self-police with the odd slap to an out of line opposition player. Dark arts such as 'feigning and diving' have taken a stranglehold, all to the detriment of the game.
To illustrate his point in his Sunday Independent column today, Brolly tells of an encounter with two Meath players back in the day.
During a league game against the Royal County, Brolly chose to rub a score in the face of the players.
Retribution from Colm Coyle was swift, along with agreement in its justification by his own manager.
I remember a hot and heavy league play-off against Meath in Celtic Park. With a few minutes to go, we were a point down. A high ball came in, Darren Fay missed it and I was through on goal. As the big keeper advanced, I lobbed him. I recalled he had been interviewed by RTE after beating Dublin in a championship match and said, "that was better than sex." So, as he sat on his arse in Celtic Park, I leaned in, tousled his hair and asked: 'Was that better than sex?' Then I wheeled away, blowing kisses to the delighted home crowd. At which point, Colm Coyle booted me in the thigh, bringing an abrupt end to the celebration. As I was limping off (I needed 11 stitches) Derry manager Brian Mullins shook his head and said, 'You deserved that you little bollocks.' He was right. And I had no complaints.
The Derry man also professes his undying love for club football over the inter-county game an its win at all costs mentality.
That is a line which he has continuted to press on Twitter today during his attendance of the Ulster club final between Crossmaglen and Scotstown.
This is football
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) November 29, 2015
Football of the highest order in atrocious conditions. Man to man,adventurous,hard
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) November 29, 2015
