Why Always Me?
Sean Cavanagh has hit out at TV pundits – Joe Brolly in particular, one would presume – who accused him of diving, saying he's beginning to feel like Mario Balotelli.
Brolly and Spillane agreed in the wake of Sunday's match between Tyrone and Monaghan that Cavanagh dived to try con the referee. Monaghan had two players black carded as a result of challenges on the Tyroneman, with Darren Hughes' card a controversial decision especially.
As you can see from the Vines, Cavanagh clearly grabs the arm of Hughes as he tries to challenge.
Cavanagh has said:
Whenever you slow these tackles down to a millisecond, you can read into it. The way I felt at the time was that Darren came in hard and no matter what the outcome was going to be, it was going to be a free to us in the first place.
Possibly, I know he had maybe his left arm around me on the other side so, ok, I was maybe holding his arm. It's not something you do...
I would never try to cheat to win a free in my life, it's more that whenever someone is coming at you at speed and you're falling, it's like a protection mechanism. It gives you a loose elbow or whatever you get when you're falling.
Fair enough, it probably was a foul by Hughes for coming across the shoulder of Cavanagh in an effort to tackle but you can't just dismiss the grabbed arm by saying 'ok, I was maybe holding his arm. It's not something you do...'
The fact of the matter is, in my playing days I was often advised to grab an opponent's arm to win a free, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
However Cavanagh contends:
These things happen so quickly it's very hard to put your finger on why it happened in any position, but to read an assumption into that that I was trying to cheat. It's really disappointing because I don't see myself as that type of player and I wouldn't like to be seen as that type of player.
Maybe it's just a coincidence that Cavanagh does it too. Maybe he's completely innocent. I'll let you decide.
Also Read: GAA Players And Managers Need To Stop With This Shit
hat-tip: Independent.ie
