DAVID BRADY HAS played down the dramatic ending to yesterday’s Meath senior football final after both managers were sent-off following a sideline clash in injury time.
Former Mayo midfielder Brady managed Ratoath to a third title in four seasons, as they overcame Summerhill on a scoreline of 0-12 to 0-11 in Navan.
“I don’t think I hit the deck in ’96 but I hit it today,” he laughed in an interview with Aisling O’Reilly of Off The Ball afterwards, referencing the row in the 1996 All-Ireland final between Mayo and Meath.
🗣"I don't think I hit the deck in 96' but I hit it today"
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) October 16, 2022
🟢🔴Mayo’s David Brady spoke to @ashoreilly about the "schemozzle" that took place at today's Meath senior final between Ratoath and Summerhill#OTB 🏐👇 pic.twitter.com/DZs327NBsk
“Look, it was innocuous and there was nothing to it. It was emotions with a minute left in a county final, sure lookit. I’m wearing runners on the sideline rather than boots, I need to get new footwear!”
Brady went on to give his viewpoint of the incident, after which Summerhill boss Conor Gillespie was also dismissed.
“We were trying to pull fellas off, fellas were trying to pull fellas on. I upscuttled and landed on the ground. Ah, sure, it was grand… honest to God, I put my hand up for ’96 but not for 2022, no.
“Conor spoke in the dressing room. You know yourself… there was nothing to it. It’s a county final, emotions run high, that’s the most important thing, they’re great guys. I respect Conor highly and he has a fantastic team. As I said, ‘Look after yourselves for the next few days’. It is hard because you put in so much effort. If it was the other end, the knives would be out. You go and have a few beers, you surround yourself with good people and that’s the most important thing.”
David Brady and Conor Gillespie make up. High drama at the end but Ratoath are champions. pic.twitter.com/I7ftUTcwJ8
— Donnchadh Boyle (@depboyle) October 16, 2022
Speaking to the Irish Independent after the game, Gillespie admitted he was at fault.
“Look to be honest I saw our guys reacting to a bit of a late hit and I was running down to tell our guys to get back and play and get the play going again.
“And as I turned around I got a dunt in the back. And at the time I interpreted that David had dunted me and to be fair he hadn’t he was just standing in his position and I turned around into him — but I thought he had dunted me and I reacted to that and I shouldered him to the ground.
“To be fair the fault for that lies on my behalf. I misinterpreted the situation and reacted in a poor way and paid the price and cost my team a minute or two of play. So it was an example of poor leadership that was punished.”
