Some awful hits in the game yesterday, The ref let them go and players were getting annoyed. I saw one player get an awful belt just before half time and when he came out the 2nd half he still looked dazed with blood over his face. Te fight at the end of the game was unreal. Im not saying it was totally the refs fault, after all it was the player throwing the punches but if he took control earlier in the game it wouldnt have festered. The ref for the 2nd game was just as bad letting wild tackles go.

Jackose (Galway) - Posts: 98 - 13/10/2008 08:46:25    117696

so lads what happened at end of aran spiddal game heard a big fight broke out at end of the game did any get sent off or was it just handbags

broll (Galway) - Posts: 39 - 13/10/2008 16:32:51    118137

was at match on sunday, arainn were fully to blame for the fight. Why would spiddal start a fight in a game they won? Ref didn't help the matter tho'

setanta0 (Louth) - Posts: 112 - 13/10/2008 17:29:59    118232

It was definitely a lot more than handbags. It was an all out fight while it lasted. There were lads walking off afterwards with split lips, bloody noses, etc.

Aran conceded two very soft goals. Only for that they may have won the game as they actually got more scores than An Spideal but the goals killed them.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2377 - 13/10/2008 17:33:47    118236

Setanta0 - You obviously have no idea about what happened so stop making ridiculous comments on here. It was an absolute disgrace what went after the final whistle. Everyone, including (most) Spiddal players & officials know who was in the wrong and are shivering in their boots pending the investigation.

Fear_Arainn (Galway) - Posts: 30 - 13/10/2008 18:37:57    118271

was they any one sent off yesterday??

fla1 (Galway) - Posts: 6 - 13/10/2008 18:48:14    118280

Fear-Arainn, were you even at the match. Arainn were to blame. I also saw some arainn players threatening and intimadating the ref.............that behaviour cannot be condoned.

setanta0 (Louth) - Posts: 112 - 14/10/2008 08:22:58    118463

I hear that there is video evidence - which is the only way county boards will take any action in these situations - so lets wait and see.

Original_JD (Galway) - Posts: 127 - 14/10/2008 08:56:09    118478

setanta0
County: Louth
Posts: 14

118232
was at match on sunday, arainn were fully to blame for the fight. Why would spiddal start a fight in a game they won? Ref didn't help the matter tho'

Setanta - i am a neutral and was at this match - All i can say is what i saw and i was up in the stand for the whole fight - It was 100% for a fact a Spiddal player that threw the first punch after the whistle went - and there were 3 of us all in agreement with who it was, this fella who threw this punch did so on the sly and hid behind some bigger tougher players after he threw it. I have spoken to a good few - at least 6 others who were at the game and they were disgusted by the Spiddal players that were involved - to be fair it looked from the stands that most of the players and officials were trying to stop matters but it did not help them that fans were getting involved. I have seen some things down through the years and it no exaggeration that this was by far the ugliest scene i have ever seen at a football match. Spiddal would have a fantastic team if they only could cut out the dirt from their play - saw it first hand this year when we beat them in the league - they were more interested in hitting lads off the ball and have won no friends this year, after the last day they are bottom of the pile.

Conamara (Galway) - Posts: 111 - 14/10/2008 09:16:41    118485

I was also a neutral at the game on sunday and was disgusted with what i saw from both sides. didn't see exactly what started the row but some of the scenes after the final whistle were terrible. i think the ref has alot to answer for though. he should have blown the final whistle on the previous kick out from the spiddal goalie. he had played well over the two extra minutes announced. he played on and blew the final whistle when there were about 26 players inside the spiddal 21 yard line. this is asking for trouble. i'm not for a minute condoning what happened but it could all have been avoided if the ref used a little bit of cop on. i thought the ref himself was going to get a belt at one stage too as he was was surrounded by a number of aran players and officials. something has to be done about this incident. everyone was involved. men women and children. i saw water been thrown at the spiddal captain as he walked in with the cup by grown women. county board cannot brush this under the carpet. severe sanctions needed on both sides. a sad day for football in the west.

fearruanua (Galway) - Posts: 367 - 14/10/2008 10:19:15    118540

I was at the first game but I missed the reply, kicking myself now.

I was back in Galway for the last few pints in Taaffe's, being nosey. Arainn supports drinking in a bar owned by a Spideal man. A good gang from Arainn there, disappointed they lost. Too many wide's one fella said. A few cuts and shiners to be seen, one selector had a bad gash. It seams to me after hearing both sides of the story that the game was getting out of control. A lot of heavy hits going unpunished. One lad said to me "How can you ref a game between the two 45's?" I was not in Salthill so I can't comment but the first day (A different ref); the referee was doing exactly, not keeping up with play.

A match I was involved in this year ended up with a few punches thrown. (Both teams were out of order) but the referee that day was the same. He gave us a penalty and I swear he was 80 yards away from play, which upset our opposition. This builds up tension.
The west board needs new referees badly. The referees that can keep up with the play, we all know it is a thankless job, but if every club pays 300 euro at the start of the year for referee fees you'd expect a high standard. Some of them are referring for 20 years. Also, I thought that referees had to complete a fitness test every few years?

Well done to An Spideal on there win and I'm sure after everything that when on that Arainn will be all out for the league.

But as an fearruanua said "a sad day for football in the west"

Starie1975 (Galway) - Posts: 444 - 14/10/2008 12:21:16    118685

Dear SetantaO from Co.Louth, You should keep your opinion to yourself when you obviously were not watching the same match as the rest of us. Both sides are responsible for their behaviour on the pitch,today and everyday,but,its not everyday you get to play at Pearse Stadium. From a Footballing point of view,Spiddal were by far the more aggressive of the two teams and I have photographic evidence to back that up,if Arainn were so bad how come it was their lads that walked off the pitch with,one player needing stitches,another with a black eye and several more with bads knocks. It was a pity as there was a great crowd there,young and old and the only memory they will have is the fight at the end.

spraoi (Galway) - Posts: 4 - 14/10/2008 12:35:51    118706

Firstly can I say that both teams behaviour is not acceptable! The one thing I noticed from being at the game on Sunday was the Arainn players refused to be cleaned after the fighting had stopped which is one reason they looked worse, players from both sides were taken to hospital and had stitches.

sunny73 (Galway) - Posts: 1 - 14/10/2008 13:54:53    118810

Starie1975,

Only one team at fault in the Na Piarsaigh game you refer to. Was similar scenes to last Sunday

Original_JD (Galway) - Posts: 127 - 14/10/2008 14:28:49    118843

Spraoi from Galway, you are a muppet. Firstly it is not a crime to be aggressive during a football match, if you don't like aggressive sports take up swimming. If Spideal were so aggressive how come none of their players were sent off. Both teams got a few yellow cards mostly for fairly inocuous stuff. Arainn started the fight but spideal shouldn't've retaliated. You saw arainn players with bloody noses etc. the same is true for spideal players. The most disgusting of all I witnessed on sunday was grown women spitting at the spideal captain as he was walking with the cup. Fighting on the pitch between frustrated players is bad, supporters spitting at the opposition is disgusting.

setanta0 (Louth) - Posts: 112 - 14/10/2008 14:43:01    118857

i agree what happens on field should be left on it spitting at players after games is a disgrace if the player and fans cant accept there team losing then they should stay at home,was at first game and saw a aran selector sparying water at spiddal player while he was recieving treament then running back into the dugout.

broll (Galway) - Posts: 39 - 14/10/2008 15:12:01    118886

what is wrong with the women from Connemara, spitting at players after matches and attacking others on the pitch in the middle of a game. They shouldn't be let to matches (or let their sons play) if they are so worried about their team losing or little Johnny getting hurt.

Original_JD (Galway) - Posts: 127 - 14/10/2008 15:24:02    118903

setanta0 from louth:
Firstly, I agree with you that the scenes after the match were disgracefull.
However, the claim that ppl spat at the spiddal captain is absurd, although there was some water thrown,this being a result of both teams taunting each other. The main culprit on sunday wasn't any player but indeed the ref, through his refusal to stamp his authority on the game from the beginning and also blowing up the game when he did, resulted in flared tempers,confrontations and the ensuing scenes.
The suggestion that this was a mass brawl is also a joke as the fighting took place between a handfull of the two teams although one aran player was held in a headlock and battered by no less than 5 players behind the goals.
The aran selector ended up with a broken nose after being hit by a sly punch and then stamped on the ground is unacceptable and there was also a spiddal player who received a bad punch leaving him dazed for the following few hours.
Finally,as usual these incidents will be blown out of proportion as usual by papers etc and the spiddal captain going on to Galway Bay FM to point the finger wont help.

beltoftheball (Galway) - Posts: 2 - 14/10/2008 15:25:20    118906

Original_JD - Ya your right - Salthill

Starie1975 (Galway) - Posts: 444 - 14/10/2008 15:30:05    118914

I think it's impossible to apportion blame solely to one side or another. Both teams were throwing digs at the end.

Certainly though the ref blowing up while the ball was bouncing around the Spiddal goalmouth was probably the worst time possible to blow the whistle when there was a scrum of players from both sides fighting for the ball and sure enough as soon as he blew up the ball was in the Spiddal net a second later. It was bound to happen. He either should have blown up earlier or let the ball either be cleared or scored before deciding to blow up.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2377 - 14/10/2008 16:10:05    118957