ONLINE criticism of Cork footballers after their defeat to Kerry was “beyond what was acceptable” and “terrible” says team selector Ronan McCarthy.
“A bit like after Dublin last year some of it was way over the top,” he told the Irish Examiner. “Some of it was justified but then you have the social media thing where people can make comments and go beyond what is acceptable.
"Some of that was terrible. Disgusting is the word I would use for it. The valid stuff, you have to take it on the chin. We looked at it ourselves and we would be very critical of it ourselves too as a management team. That’s part and parcel of it when you’re defeated.
“But we now have a chance to put it right. The worst thing would have been losing and having no chance until next year to put it right. We have a chance very quickly.”
Previously, GPA head of communications Sean Potts and mental health activist Conor Cusack had flagged up the online reaction to Cork’s loss.
“The whole concept behind what we’re doing is respect and respecting people as individuals,” Potts said.
“It was a bad day at the office for Cork but these people are amateur sportspeople. They deserve to be respected.
"…People are under pressure and they are amateurs. We have to keep reminding and reiterating that despite the level of commitment being on a par with professional sport they’re amateurs and back in their community or work the next day. That’s not easy and it’s compounded by the keyboard warriors as Conor calls them.”
Conor Cusack tweeted after the Cork-Kerry game: “It would be wise of the keyboard warriors to remember that our real warriors, our players in the arena, wear more than their county jerseys.”
