Spillane: I was right about Donegal

Controversial RTE pundit Pat Spillane has defended the somewhat over the top criticism he threw in Donegal’s direction after a dour All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday.

Although the majority of pundits were critical of the ultra-defensive approach of Jim McGuinness’ side, not surprisingly Spillane was the most vocal, saying amongst other things that the Tír Chonaill men “should be tried for crimes against Gaelic Football”, that Dublin’s win was “a victory for Gaelic Football” and that "Gaelic football as Donegal wanted to reduce it to would degenerate it into a shambles".

The Kerry great is no stranger to controversy and frequently riles GAA fans throughout the country due to his caustic comments. Earlier this year, for example, GAA folk in the west took umbrage at his views that Connacht football had been reduced to “junk status”.

Speaking in the Irish Examiner today, however, Spillane stood over everything he had to say about Donegal and what’s more, he feels that the majority of GAA supporters agree with him, including those from Donegal

"All the papers and all the text messages seem to be saying the same thing as me," Spillane said.

"For the first ever time, people have the same opinion. I don't take any pride in that but that's the way it was. Since finishing the TV on Sunday, people have been agreeing with me and that's unusual because usually when I wake up the following morning there's more than x amount of people taking a different viewpoint.

"I'd always be ranting and it's often mistaken as a rant just for the sake of it but when you see (Colm) O'Rourke saying the same thing you know there's something going on. I met Donegal people after the game and not one of them had a negative comment to say to me. They were proud of their team but they just didn't buy into the tactics."

Spillane elaborated on a point that he made forcefully during the RTE coverage of the game at the weekend; that the way the game was played on Sunday is worrying for the future of Gaelic Football.

He added that had Donegal got through, the final would have been as unattractive a spectacle as Sunday’s game but felt that Kerry would have sufficient nous and experience to prevail.

"I was looking at it from a Gaelic football point of view,” he added.

“If this is the way we want to evolve then it's not pretty. The GAA powers-that-be have to look at Gaelic football as a product and the way it is evolving.

"We (Kerry) would have got the same, only Kerry would have been a little bit cuter. Kerry would find a way through. Kerry would have made the Donegal defence work a bit more and ask questions of their system. Dublin didn't until the last 20 minutes."