Today's pulsating All-Ireland semifinal draw between Mayo and Kerry elicited almost universal acclaim on Twitter and beyond, with plenty proclaiming it to have been among the best game they have ever witnessed.
Heart finally stopped racing! One of the best GAA matches ever! Great effort from @MayoGAA #NeverGiveUp #bringonnextsaturday
— Sean McCarthy (@seanmccarthy_57) August 24, 2014
Sweet Jesus my heart is racing. What a half of football. #Kerry #Mayo
— Aaron Kernan (@AaronKernan) August 24, 2014
What a game of football...great men on both sides...#mayo #kerry
— Dónal Óg Cusack (@DonalOgC) August 24, 2014
In the RTE commentary box, groan-elicitor Tom/Tommy Carr went one further with his declaration that the titanic struggle was "nearly as exciting as a hurling match". Lucky him never to have seen a poor game of hurling in his life.
Tommy carr just called one of most cracking football games in year 'nearly as exciting as hurling'.
— Kieran O'Brien (@SportingLimk) August 24, 2014
Good point well made Tommy Carr!
"NEARLY as exciting as Hurling."
— Blowincat (@blowincat) August 24, 2014
Carr is also somewhat unique in that he has seen kick delivered by something other than a foot, since he felt the need to mention the fact that there were a lot of "foot kicks" on show. As opposed, perhaps, to the kick he gets out of being the Clarke Carlisle of GAA broadcasting.
"...delivering foot kicks a lot". What other type of kick is there, Tom Carr? #SundayGame
— Eoghan Glynn (@eoghang89) August 24, 2014
Here's a snap of Tommy Carr in the commentary box today...
#TommyCarr #YAWN #GAA pic.twitter.com/UYLvXJiYZX
— Ciarán Lenehan (@CiaranLen) August 24, 2014
72.50 on the clock, 1-16 each, Tommy Carr "Don't rule out a draw" #profound
— Maud-Annie Foley (@MaudAFoley) August 24, 2014
Shortly after the final whistle, a grim realisation soon dawned that the replay will have to be played at 5pm next Saturday in Páirc na nGael in Limerick because the 'Croke Park Classic' American football game between the University of Central Florida and Penn State has ruled out Headquarters as a venue.
In the RTE studio, Colm O’Rourke and Joe Brolly were predictably livid with the clash of dates. Brolly said it was “disgraceful”, while O’Rourke said it was “absolutely dreadful that we have to go to Limerick for an All-Ireland semi-final because there’s an American football match in Croke Park next Saturday.”
Said O'Rourke: “I think they should have put the replay off until the following Saturday evening – the day before the hurling final – to allow everyone in the comfort of Croke Park.
“An All-Ireland semi-final deserves to be played (at Croke Park). It’s not insulting to Limerick in any way. An All-Ireland semi-final of this status should be played in Croke Park.”
In addition to the 'status' of the match, moving the second game to Limerick means that no more than 45,000 spectators will be present, some 7,500 fewer than today's attendance.
Replay will be first football semi not to be held in Croke Park since Cork-Dublin replay at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 1983 #gaa
— Denis Hurley (@Denis_Hurley) August 24, 2014
Expect Liveline this week to be full of Garth Brooks fans unhappy that Yanks are going to be playing a sport at Croker next Saturday.
— Owen Cowzer (@OCowzer) August 24, 2014
All Ireland final will be played in Croke Park this year if MacDonalds don't need it for a Ronald Fun Day
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) August 24, 2014
Joe Brolly is right. Having American football in Croke Park at the height of the Championship season is wrong.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) August 24, 2014
It seems that the ground staff are wasting no time in reconfiguring the paying area for the occasion.
It's not taking them long to get ready for the Yanks in Croker ... #gaa #mayogaa pic.twitter.com/uUcQr222U2
— Edwin McGreal (@edmcgreal) August 24, 2014
Mayo Manager James Horan has asked that the replay be postponed until the following Saturday so it can be played at Croker the day before the hurling final.
James Horan has confirmed Mayo county board will ask GAA to postpone semi-final replay until Saturday week and play it in Croke Park.
— Second Captains (@SecondCaptains) August 24, 2014
Meanwhile in the Kingdom, it seems as if there's only one sensible course of action to take:
Kerry appoint special delegate to negotiate getting Croke park back from the Americans for replay pic.twitter.com/4YHHMdQrEf
— Oisin Langan (@Langanator) August 24, 2014
Quotes via Hoganstand.com
