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James Horan blasts Cork management - 'It is disgraceful and they should be ashamed'

The Mayo manager was unhappy with comments made in the build-up to last week’s game.

Mayo manager James Horan Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

JAMES HORAN BLASTED the Cork football management yesterday for their comments last week about his Mayo team as he described them as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘a new low’.

Horan saw his Mayo side survive to win by a point in their All-Ireland quarter-final clash in Croke Park before then expressing his fury after the game as well as refusing to shake Cork boss Brian Cuthbert’s hand afterwards.

The build-up to the match had seen Rebels selector Ronan McCarthy highlight the ‘tactical fouling’ committed by Mayo forwards Cillian O’Connor and Kevin McLoughlin.

“Our character was challenged in the lead-up to this game as well by the Cork management, which I think is unprecedented in Gaelic football, where a management team name players,” outlined Horan.

“For us it was taking the integrity of two of our players and of our team and I think it is something that is disgraceful and they should be ashamed of what they done.

“Does that make victory sweeter for us? It probably does. I just think it is a new low when you have opposition management naming specific players. They will face the Cork public after that, but we are happy with where we are.

“I just think it’s a very low act, I genuinely do, taking a player’s character and what he was saying about them just wasn’t right. I know it’s not right so for someone to come out that flippantly – Ronan McCarthy in particular to say that – I just think is completely wrong.

“I think that’s a dangerous area, that if management can say anything they want about anyone, not knowing anything about them or the values or what we try to do as a team, how we try and play.

“We’re the ones who try to play the game with an attacking based football, open and free-flowing, we’re not the ones that who put everyone behind the ball. So I just found it a particularly poor reflection on the Cork management.”

“That’s my piece and that’s just my opinion, and some people might think I’m over-reacting but when you see the effort those guys put in and they’re the most honest guys you’d come across, Cillian O’Connor and Kevin McLaughlin, I just think it’s wrong and when I think it’s wrong I’ll say it.”

Ronan McCarthy Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Cork boss Brian Cuthbert did not respond to Horan’s comments and simply wished Mayo luck going forward.

“I’m not going to comment on that. The match is over, it’s finished. They’re after moving on to the semi-final, that’s it. Best of luck to them. James is entitled to his opinion.”

Horan insisted it was not comparable with how he had highlighted referee Joe McQuillan in the build-up to the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin.

“I haven’t heard anyone mention players and specifically target players before. I mentioned Joe McQuillan before because he had reffed A versus B games for Dublin, it’s as simple as that.

“I think it is a fair thing, all I was looking for was fairness. But to target players’ character I think is just disgraceful, that’s my opinion.”

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