Ferns beat St. Martin's by a solitary point in the Wexford county championship at the weekend. In the closing seconds, one Ferns player shipped a heavy tackle and hit the deck.
For a moment he lay prone on the ground, flagging furiously for some attention from the sideline. (Here, we put our cynical hat on). The crowd gasped, anxious lest there being anything wrong the young hurler. Rosary beads appeared. Novenas were said. Hopefully, we haven't witnessed anything career-ending today, those present seemed to intone.
Alas, the skies brightened when the final whistle blew. The restorative powers of a referee's whistle have been remarked upon before but rarely have we seen it work as dramatically as this. He leaped around in jubilation, hugging the backroom team. It was hard to believe that a few seconds earlier this man was slumped on the turf like a sack of potatoes.
Many have concluded that this was a depressing show of unmanliness (they haven't used those words). Many have cast their eyes to the skies and groaned at such transparent 'cynicism'.
But watch closer. His respite was temporary, brought about by the delirium of victory. He is in the process of hobbling back to the turf when the video ends. His injury wasn't quite so phantom after all.
All others who've commented on this have jumped the gun. But not us.
