The Battle of RTE: Martin Carney labels Brolly’s Gooch choker comments ‘disgraceful’

RTE pundits Martin Carney and Joe Brolly are at loggerheads over the latter’s criticism of Kerry star Colm Cooper at the weekend.

In a newspaper column the other day Brolly launched a withering critique of Kerry and Cooper in particular, declaring that he was a big-game choker as he had never performed well against Tyrone at Croke Park and failed to stand out in Dr Crokes’ All-Ireland club semi-final defeat to Crossmaglen earlier this year.

Derry man Brolly is a long-established studio analyst with RTE, for whom Donegal native Carney has been a front-line co-commentator for many years.

Asked about Brolly’s comments on The Last Word on Today FM on Monday evening, Carney left listeners in no doubt about his opinion.

“Well I think to describe Colm Cooper as a choker was disgraceful. It was a very, very wrong call.

“I’m watching Gaelic football a long time – a lot longer than Joe, actually – and Colm Cooper is one of the most gifted players that I’ve ever seen playing football and I want that put on record.”

Maybe a little late in the day, he quickly added, “I work with The Sunday Game and I’m not going to compromise myself on that.”