Catch Buckley on Off The Ball
Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 10:59 am
Did anyone listen to the ‘Catch Buckley’ interview on Off The Ball last night?
It was a very interesting listen I must say.
It was about the infamous ‘Battle of Aughrim’ between Wicklow and a highly-fancied Laois team in the Leinster Championship in 1986. Laois went into this one as recently crowned National League Champions and Wicklow were given very little chance beforehand that day. Carthage Buckley was the man in the middle that day and he took centre-stage, sending off three Laois men and one Wicklow man. Also interviewed on the show were Willie Brennan (one of the Laois men sent off that day) and Kevin O’Brien, the Wicklow legend, who as a 19-year old scored 2-3 that day.
Buckley read out a letter that was sent to him some time after the game by 3 Laois men apparently:
“You rotten expletive! You robbed us out of the Leinster final. If you put off the three lads for using the fist, what broke Gerry Browne's nose? And your expletive linesman! Don't forget we are watching you. It may not be now but don't travel too far on your own from home. You are going to get what they are getting in the North...the bullet! And we mean every bit of it. You may never get the chance of taking the whistle in your hand again. I think you were treated with a bit of alright in Laois. We are not letting you away with it. No way. We don't mind what happens to us so long as we get you. Besides it will never be known who did it. It may go a while but we will get you and your car."
Some letter, by all accounts. Shocking stuff altogether. Its 28 years ago now, so I’d imagine it was just an idle threat, but nevertheless, I can only imagine what went through Buckleys head or even the thoughts of his family upon reading such a letter.
I thought Buckley’s description of events and the atmosphere of the day in general to be a little contradictory to the version of events that I have heard before. The Laois version of events seems to suggest that Aughrim was set up as a trap for them that day, and that they felt intimidated from the moment they arrived. Buckley gives the version that it was a tough, hard-hitting typical championship game, not unlike many other championship games at the time. The Wicklow side of the story reveals practically nothing.
The thing that struck me most during the interview was the obvious bitterness that Willie Brennan still has about the whole affair. Despite Buckley’s letter, he still refuses to empathise with him in any way. Brennan maintains that he did not strike his Wicklow opponent that day and questioned Buckley's decisions, adding that any claim that Laois players struck their opponents that day were a "lie". While Brennan may have a case of his own, I think it was wrong for him to defend the other Laois players and the claim that none of them struck a Wicklow opponent at all. I’d find it hard to believe that Buckley got every one of the sending off decisions wrong. Buckley described all the sending-offs as clear-cut incidents, yet refused to be drawn on the claim that the game was an out and out battle that day.
Kevin O’Brien, meanwhile, played the role of Arsene Wenger, suggesting that he didn’t see any of the incidents as he was on the far side of the field. His ignorance to the apparent events lead me to believe that he suspected that perhaps Laois did indeed get the short end of the stick that day, but its something he still wouldn’t come out and say on National Radio.
Then of course, Off The Ball turn to the ‘honest’ opinion of their very own resident half-wit. The complete lack of informed opinion and total unbalance that Colm ‘Wooly’ Parkinson brings to any debate is grossly unfair on any listener, I feel. He gave a character reference for Tom Prendergast (a Portlaoise man who was also sent off that day), which wasn’t necessarily relevant to the greater scheme of things overall, considering Parkinson was nowhere near that game himself on the day. The comments of the Laois men seem to bring into question the character of Carthage Buckley. There was nobody there to give a character reference for him on the show and overall I felt that the presence and sentiments of the two Laois men gave the whole episode the feel of Laois being cheated on the day. This may, or may not have been the case, but the fact that a threatening letter had been sent to the home of Buckley got completely brushed under the carpet by the Laois men. This wasn’t intended as an anti-Laois rant, although I do acknowledge that it may have started to turn into one.
Anyway, If you haven’t heard the interview, do try and check it out, its only about 15 or 20 mins long.
Maybe some of you have some informed opinion of what went on that day.
What is the truth?
Was Wicklow away in Aughrim the equivalent of many teams visits to Galatasaray (in the 90s especially)?
Or was the whole thing blown completely out of proportion?
It was a very interesting listen I must say.
It was about the infamous ‘Battle of Aughrim’ between Wicklow and a highly-fancied Laois team in the Leinster Championship in 1986. Laois went into this one as recently crowned National League Champions and Wicklow were given very little chance beforehand that day. Carthage Buckley was the man in the middle that day and he took centre-stage, sending off three Laois men and one Wicklow man. Also interviewed on the show were Willie Brennan (one of the Laois men sent off that day) and Kevin O’Brien, the Wicklow legend, who as a 19-year old scored 2-3 that day.
Buckley read out a letter that was sent to him some time after the game by 3 Laois men apparently:
“You rotten expletive! You robbed us out of the Leinster final. If you put off the three lads for using the fist, what broke Gerry Browne's nose? And your expletive linesman! Don't forget we are watching you. It may not be now but don't travel too far on your own from home. You are going to get what they are getting in the North...the bullet! And we mean every bit of it. You may never get the chance of taking the whistle in your hand again. I think you were treated with a bit of alright in Laois. We are not letting you away with it. No way. We don't mind what happens to us so long as we get you. Besides it will never be known who did it. It may go a while but we will get you and your car."
Some letter, by all accounts. Shocking stuff altogether. Its 28 years ago now, so I’d imagine it was just an idle threat, but nevertheless, I can only imagine what went through Buckleys head or even the thoughts of his family upon reading such a letter.
I thought Buckley’s description of events and the atmosphere of the day in general to be a little contradictory to the version of events that I have heard before. The Laois version of events seems to suggest that Aughrim was set up as a trap for them that day, and that they felt intimidated from the moment they arrived. Buckley gives the version that it was a tough, hard-hitting typical championship game, not unlike many other championship games at the time. The Wicklow side of the story reveals practically nothing.
The thing that struck me most during the interview was the obvious bitterness that Willie Brennan still has about the whole affair. Despite Buckley’s letter, he still refuses to empathise with him in any way. Brennan maintains that he did not strike his Wicklow opponent that day and questioned Buckley's decisions, adding that any claim that Laois players struck their opponents that day were a "lie". While Brennan may have a case of his own, I think it was wrong for him to defend the other Laois players and the claim that none of them struck a Wicklow opponent at all. I’d find it hard to believe that Buckley got every one of the sending off decisions wrong. Buckley described all the sending-offs as clear-cut incidents, yet refused to be drawn on the claim that the game was an out and out battle that day.
Kevin O’Brien, meanwhile, played the role of Arsene Wenger, suggesting that he didn’t see any of the incidents as he was on the far side of the field. His ignorance to the apparent events lead me to believe that he suspected that perhaps Laois did indeed get the short end of the stick that day, but its something he still wouldn’t come out and say on National Radio.
Then of course, Off The Ball turn to the ‘honest’ opinion of their very own resident half-wit. The complete lack of informed opinion and total unbalance that Colm ‘Wooly’ Parkinson brings to any debate is grossly unfair on any listener, I feel. He gave a character reference for Tom Prendergast (a Portlaoise man who was also sent off that day), which wasn’t necessarily relevant to the greater scheme of things overall, considering Parkinson was nowhere near that game himself on the day. The comments of the Laois men seem to bring into question the character of Carthage Buckley. There was nobody there to give a character reference for him on the show and overall I felt that the presence and sentiments of the two Laois men gave the whole episode the feel of Laois being cheated on the day. This may, or may not have been the case, but the fact that a threatening letter had been sent to the home of Buckley got completely brushed under the carpet by the Laois men. This wasn’t intended as an anti-Laois rant, although I do acknowledge that it may have started to turn into one.
Anyway, If you haven’t heard the interview, do try and check it out, its only about 15 or 20 mins long.
Maybe some of you have some informed opinion of what went on that day.
What is the truth?
Was Wicklow away in Aughrim the equivalent of many teams visits to Galatasaray (in the 90s especially)?
Or was the whole thing blown completely out of proportion?