Last year we all watched with bemusement as videos began to emerge of a Clare official running behind Anthony Nash's goal before their Munster final clash and throwing the Cork shot-stopper's bag of sliotars into the crowd.
At the time Clare coach and former Cork goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack refused to discuss it, but during an interview with the Irish Examiner did call for a standardised ball:
On The Sunday Game sometimes I’d be watching out for things. I saw things happening in the Championship a couple of years ago. I watched it, and I looked around at everybody else but nobody else picked it up. And it was around sliotars. So I said nothing.
It turns out he may be onto something.
Writing in his RTE column today, former Kilkenny hurler Richie Power revealed the remarkable tactic Nash turned to during their All-Ireland quarter-final in 2013. Kilkenny had been awarded a penalty and Power converted it. However, a re-take was ordered and Nash took advantage.
I struck the penalty very, very well and it flew into the net but unfortunately Tommy Walsh was nearly in on top of Nash by the time I hit the ball and Barry Kelly called it back to be retaken. And it was a heavier ball that Nash handed me out for the re-take. I knew straight away when I had the ball in my hand that it wasn't the same ball I struck the first penalty with.
A few people said it to me afterwards. My brother actually said it to me after the game that Nash went and picked a ball out of his bag and threw it out to me.
Power missed the penalty, although did manage to grab a point from the rebound.
GAA Director of games development Pat Daly had said last year he planned on introducing standardised sliotars this year, so Nash's alleged act may not be possible in the future.
You can read Power's full column here.
