Last January, in the wake of the Ballylinan/ambulance emoji saga (will the nation ever forget?), we devised a series of social media guidelines for GAA players anxious to avoid featuring in the newspapers or becoming embroiled in major controversies.
In addition to not sending threatening tweets to prominent journalists and tweeting out political opinions that are socially conservative in nature, we suggested that one should avoid tweeting derisively about a player with whom one has recently tussled on national television.
This was informed by Damien Comer's tweeted expressions of sympathy for Diarmuid Connolly over the Lee Keegan grapple at the close of last year's drawn semi-final. This, we averred, can only lead to trouble, both on the internet and probably on nights out as well.
However, this particular rule doesn't go far enough. One shouldn't tweet derisively about a player one has ever faced on the field of play.
Following Tipp's NHL quarter-final loss in Ennis, Liam Rushe leapt in with a highly contentious tweet, mocking Seamie Callanan's off day on the frees and questioning whether he might have backed Clare to beat the handicap.
This was an egregious breach of twitter etiquette on a couple of levels. We stress that one should avoid tweet mockingly about a player you are likely to meet at some stage in the future
Furthermore, we suggest that one gambling references to a minimum. Suggesting, even in jest, that a player might have backed the handicap is ill-advised.
Retribution wasn't long in coming. We should add that Cathal Barrett might have been wiser to stay out of this.
@LiamRushe you've had your own eyes on his heals for long enough. #talkonthefield#KeyBoardWarrior
— cathal barrett (@cbarrett2107) April 3, 2016
We will update the social media guidelines in due course.
