Pat Mulcahy, the Francie Bellew of hurling?

[tommymoore]

I watched the Munster semi-final with interest last Sunday. I was one of these people who bought into the Clare hype and actually believed they had a very good chance of beating Cork. How wrong and foolish I was. Cork looked unbeatable on Sunday. Whether they are or not only time will tell but the 3 in a row looks the most likely outcome come September.

I’ve heard various people refer to Cork and Newtownshandrum defender Pat Mulcahy as a dirty player since he came to prominence over the last 2-3 years. I never really payed much attention to this until quite recently. However as I sat in Croke Park on St Patricks day I realised that the people who told me these stories were proved correct. The mans an absolute tramp. His marking techniques consist of pulling and dragging various defenders or hitting them across the chest as he did against Portumna this year. He was so bad in that match he got the line, in fact he should have been sent off much earlier as his teammate Chops was mistakenly booked for a foul on Joe Canning when in fact it was Mulcahy who struck out at him. He was at it against on Sunday got booked and was constantly pulling and dragging players. and again getting booked. He seems to get booked in practically every game he plays now, so much so that Duignan even referred to it in his analysis on Sunday.

In my opinion he has become the Francie Bellew of hurling? Does anyone agree with my sentiments above or am I talking absolute trash?

[whyohwhy]

It's rare that the media in Ireland will ever state that a player is dirty, as far as i remember even the murderous Meath teams of the 90's were just called hard (but never dirty), so if Duignan stated that he was filthy, then he must have been absolutely filthy.

Bellew is a dirty fucker alright, as is McMenamin. Most Meath teams under Boylan were too (to make up for their lack of footballing skills). i didnt see the Wex-meath match on sunday but most reports seem to state that Meath became cynical once they knew were beaten.

It's sad if a Cork hurler has to lower himself to the level of chopping, pulling and dragging as Cork must have the largest player base of any of the strong hurling counties.

[bandage]

The phrase pot, kettle and black springs to mind with Duignan. Wasn't it in 1998 that he nearly took the head off a Clare player during the famous 'Jimmy Cooney' game? Full blown pull across the head if I recall correctly - I'll tell him the next time I spot him in Bar 51 drinking with Bernie Flynn before Ireland rugby games.

A friend of mine told me last year that the Cork full back line are notorious in the game for off the ball stuff - not necessarily filthy stuff but very niggly. I hadn't really noticed myself and it's not something you pick up from television viewing. I decided to check this out for myself in the All Ireland final last year and spent a good part of the game keeping an eye on them from the front row of the top deck of the Hogan Stand (great seats). O'Sullivan was particulary sly in that he kept unfastening (is this a word?) Niall Healy's helmet and then flicking it up from the back. Healy would move away, straighten his helmet up again, fasten it and then Sully would do the same again. There was also a lot of holding off the ball blatantly preventing the full forward line from making any runs. This is where you wonder what umpires are doing most of the time. The guy Brian Murphy is a very good marker but he went way down in my estimation that time he got Mullane sent off in 2004. Mulcahy is fairly dirty alright and probably the most openly dirty of them but still stays under the radar most of the time. The difference between Cork and Clare is that Clare are openly aggressive and dirty whereas Cork mix it in a typically sly and cute People's Republic way. Overall though I've seen a lot far dirtier teams than Cork though they don't allow themselves to be physically pushed around which is fair enough considering they've a number of light players like the O'Connors, Deane, Kieran Murphy etc.

I agree Bellew is dirty, McMenamin let himself down when he plunged his knees on to McGrane's neck last year but not sure he deserves the reputation he has. Actually admired those Boylan teams from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. They had some hard fookers - Mick Lyons anyone?

[steamboatsam]

bandage said:

The phrase pot, kettle and black springs to mind with Duignan. Wasn't it in 1998 that he nearly took the head off a Clare player during the famous 'Jimmy Cooney' game? Full blown pull across the head if I recall correctly - I'll tell him the next time I spot him in Bar 51 drinking with Bernie Flynn before Ireland rugby games.

A friend of mine told me last year that the Cork full back line are notorious in the game for off the ball stuff - not necessarily filthy stuff but very niggly. I hadn't really noticed myself and it's not something you pick up from television viewing. I decided to check this out for myself in the All Ireland final last year and spent a good part of the game keeping an eye on them from the front row of the top deck of the Hogan Stand (great seats). O'Sullivan was particulary sly in that he kept unfastening (is this a word?) Niall Healy's helmet and then flicking it up from the back. Healy would move away, straighten his helmet up again, fasten it and then Sully would do the same again. There was also a lot of holding off the ball blatantly preventing the full forward line from making any runs. This is where you wonder what umpires are doing most of the time. The guy Brian Murphy is a very good marker but he went way down in my estimation that time he got Mullane sent off in 2004. Mulcahy is fairly dirty alright and probably the most openly dirty of them but still stays under the radar most of the time. The difference between Cork and Clare is that Clare are openly aggressive and dirty whereas Cork mix it in a typically sly and cute People's Republic way. Overall though I've seen a lot far dirtier teams than Cork though they don't allow themselves to be physically pushed around which is fair enough considering they've a number of light players like the O'Connors, Deane, Kieran Murphy etc.

I agree Bellew is dirty, McMenamin let himself down when he plunged his knees on to McGrane's neck last year but not sure he deserves the reputation he has. Actually admired those Boylan teams from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. They had some hard fookers - Mick Lyons anyone?

"unfasten" and "unfastened" are words alright but "unfastening" is a little dubious i think. i'm sure one of the more literary members will clarify

[eamo]

bandage said:

I agree Bellew is dirty, McMenamin let himself down when he plunged his knees on to McGrane's neck last year but not sure he deserves the reputation he has. Actually admired those Boylan teams from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. They had some hard fookers - Mick Lyons anyone?

I heard a story once that Mick Lyons used to stick his finger up the opposing player's arse on occasions. That is not hard. That is sick.

[tommymoore]

Duignan didn't state he was dirty but that's what he implied. He starting going on about how pulling and dragging seem to have entered his game of late and mentioned the club final as well. the media won't state Cork are dirty because they arn't a dirty team. However Diramuid and Mulcahy are. One of my mates was at the game in Thurles Sunday and he said O'sullivan was constantly fouling his man before the ball came. he gets away with it every time.
he'll get caught out some day and get absolutely cleaned. the problem is getting the ball past that half back line to give someone the chance to clean him.

[whyohwhy]

bandage said:

I agree Bellew is dirty, McMenamin let himself down when he plunged his knees on to McGrane's neck last year but not sure he deserves the reputation he has. Actually admired those Boylan teams from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. They had some hard fookers - Mick Lyons anyone?

McMenamin also bit the Gooch on the arm when he went to shake hands with him before the all-ireland semi of 2003. Fact. Gooch was in my local a few days later and the teeth marks were still plain to see. Dirty cunt McMenamin and its a shame to see as he can actually play.

[steamboatsam]

whyohwhy said:

bandage said:

I agree Bellew is dirty, McMenamin let himself down when he plunged his knees on to McGrane's neck last year but not sure he deserves the reputation he has. Actually admired those Boylan teams from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. They had some hard fookers - Mick Lyons anyone?

McMenamin also bit the Gooch on the arm when he went to shake hands with him before the all-ireland semi of 2003. Fact. Gooch was in my local a few days later and the teeth marks were still plain to see. Dirty cunt McMenamin and its a shame to see as he can actually play.

Gooch probably tried to eat his own arm, the scrawny ginger freak..........good at the old kick ball though

[whyohwhy]

steamboatsam said:

whyohwhy said:

McMenamin also bit the Gooch on the arm when he went to shake hands with him before the all-ireland semi of 2003. Fact. Gooch was in my local a few days later and the teeth marks were still plain to see. Dirty cunt McMenamin and its a shame to see as he can actually play.

Gooch probably tried to eat his own arm, the scrawny ginger freak..........good at the old kick ball though

A very talented scrawny ginger freak nonetheless. Dare i say even 'Great' <now awaiting Bandage's tirade re Mattie Forde>

[bandage]

whyohwhy said:

steamboatsam said:

Gooch probably tried to eat his own arm, the scrawny ginger freak..........good at the old kick ball though

A very talented scrawny ginger freak nonetheless. Dare i say even 'Great' <now awaiting Bandage's tirade re Mattie Forde>

Gooch is a wonderful footballer alright - I knew a Tyrone player did that but didn't know it was McMenamin. It was funny how they tried to kick up a storm last year again even though Gooch ran into the back of the keeper and McMenamin had nothing to do with it.

Re the points on the other thread I think it is rare in GAA nowadays, actually in any era, for a player to be able to kick accurately with both feet, from distance and from acute angles. I'd say there's not more than a few. Even Paddy Bradley is all left foot, I've seen Gooch score with both but haven't seen too many, if any, others do it. I would class that ability as a sign of being a great footballer. I can't remember the Sunday Game as I was on about my 14th pint during it but they surely showed the point straight after half time that I mentioned the other day. A moment of greatness!

[whyohwhy]

bandage said:

whyohwhy said:

A very talented scrawny ginger freak nonetheless. Dare i say even 'Great' <now awaiting Bandage's tirade re Mattie Forde>

Gooch is a wonderful footballer alright - I knew a Tyrone player did that but didn't know it was McMenamin. It was funny how they tried to kick up a storm last year again even though Gooch ran into the back of the keeper and McMenamin had nothing to do with it.

Re the points on the other thread I think it is rare in GAA nowadays, actually in any era, for a player to be able to kick accurately with both feet, from distance and from acute angles. I'd say there's not more than a few. Even Paddy Bradley is all left foot, I've seen Gooch score with both but haven't seen too many, if any, others do it. I would class that ability as a sign of being a great footballer. I can't remember the Sunday Game as I was on about my 14th pint during it but they surely showed the point straight after half time that I mentioned the other day. A moment of greatness!

Gooch didnt run in to the back on McConnell, he was trying to loose his marker McMenamin. He jinked left then turned to run behind McConnell, hoping to loose McMenanmin and have the space out in front of him to the right. As he ran behind McConnell, McConnell struck out his right hand and caught Gooch straight in the face. Right in front of the umpires.

I was at that match that day and remember it clearly as I wasn't far from the action. I was watching the play but looked down towards the gooch as I reckoned a long ball was about to be kicked down into space for him. it was but he was down on the ground. it subsequently transpired that McConnells finger had 'inadvertantly' caught him in the eye. Those umpires got some abuse that day. I still, to this day, cant believe they didnt see it. it was right in front of them, at the top of the square.

True, I suppose, bandage, now that I think of it. it is unusual for players to be able to kick accurately from distance and acutely with both feet.

In a similar vein, the Gooch recently played a match at centre-forward for his club, a bit like Mattie did at the weekend. he hadnt done it much in the past.