Paul Geaney: Suggestion David Clifford got preferential treatment is 'dangerous language'
David Clifford of Kerry is tackled by Donnacha McHugh of Mayo. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Paul Geaney says Mayo manager Kevin McStay’s claim that David Clifford received preferential treatment from referee David Coldrick last Sunday is “dangerous language”.
Following Kerry’s Division 1 final win in Croke Park, McStay felt two-time footballer of the year was “well looked after” by match officials. “He can’t always be out in front,” remarked McStay. “Nature doesn’t allow that. He can’t be out in front for every ball.”
Clifford’s fellow inside forward Geaney rejected the idea his team-mate was hoodwinking the match officials into winning frees against marker Donnacha McHugh and another from goalkeeper Colm Reape.
“No, I don’t think so. It's kind of dangerous language as well. It's almost setting it up for a day down the line where he gets no free. I wouldn't agree with that. Hopefully, that's not the case and I would trust the refs are impartial all the way.”
Geaney commended Clifford for winning ball despite the attentions of McHugh, who conceded three fouls against him. “Inside forwards are always going to get their fair share of it,” he said of his jersey pulling. “At the point of when it's happening, you feel aggrieved or whatever, but we don't take too much notice of what's been said afterwards, and Kevin has his opinion so he's entitled to that.
“I felt that David was boxing out in front of his man a lot and I think maybe there was a couple of frees given at the weekend both ways, but I don't think David bought too many frees, to be honest, if that was the language he [McStay] was using. I think forwards are just used to that, so that’s just the way it is.”
Photographs from the game showed both Clifford and McHugh holding each other’s jersey although Geaney said they don’t give a full account of what has occurred.
“Grappling is part of the game I know it's probably not intended to be allowed by the rules but it is part of the game. You're jostling for position and you're jostling for the ball as well. It is part of it but I'd stay away from still frame pictures because they don't tell you the story.”
In the closing stages of the weekend’s game, goalscorer Geaney, in his 60th league game for Kerry, suffered a bad bang to the back of his neck from Ryan O’Donoghue, which earned the Mayo forward a yellow card. It forced the Dingle man off the field but he didn’t suffer concussion.
“Just a small bit of a belt alright, but I'm good. It was actually kind of my neck, my neck and into the lower part of my head, so just a small bit of muscle pain in the evening.”
Geaney and the Kerry squad head to Portugal on Saturday in preparation for the championship.
“You get a pile of work done in the couple of days. Even like an overnight camp can be hugely beneficial but when you get back-to-back days, the time is pretty much spent on talking about tactics or bonding with team-mates in a working sense.”
Although some counties appeared to shy away from making the final, Geaney values his fourth National League medal.
“We had a good league campaign all in all said. We had a couple of close losses and then we had some good results.
“Maybe we weren't anywhere near the full polished package but when we got to the league final we were very enthused by the prospect of another National League medal.
“It is very close to the championship and that's maybe an issue to be sorted down the line. Two days later, I'm talking to you guys about the championship and we're kicking off this weekend. It would be a disadvantage to be having to play another high level game next weekend with the chance of being knocked out of a competition.”
The 33-year-old would like to see the finals retained.
“When you're winning something or want to win something, it has to be done in Croke Park, so getting that exposure to Croke Park is very valuable and like Wexford doing that and Limerick getting their day there as well, the players will remember those days forever more. Whereas, if you top the league, I'm not sure too many will remember the day they topped the league in 10 or 15 years' time.”
