By Frank Craig
Anthony Molloy has labelled social media comments aimed at Donegal team boss Declan Bonner as both ‘sickening’ and ‘ugly’.
The 1992 All-Ireland winning captain contacted the Donegal News himself, this morning, Monday, to voice his anger at the online barbs directed at his former team-mate.
Donegal were narrowly edged out by Derry in Sunday’s Ulster SFC decider 1-16 to 1-14 in a cagey contest that took extra-time to finally settle. Molloy said he fielded a number of calls this morning directing his attention to the comments.
“It’s times like these that we need to stick together,” he said. “I received a number of messages this morning in regards to social media abuse that has been aimed at Declan and the team. It sickened me to be honest.
“I’d call those individuals ‘keyboard warriors’ – people that wouldn’t have the guts to say some of the stuff that’s been posted to your face. And I actually know some of these people personally… they are ones that never kicked a ball in their lives. But hiding behind a computer or phone screen doesn’t give anyone the right to say what ever they want. It’s reckless.
“How or why anyone thinks it’s okay to post what they’re posting and with their names attached..? I thought we’d turned a corner on all this stuff. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way on the football field. But you simply cannot question the hours and yards those lads are now putting in.
“It’s been that way for so long. You simply cannot question their commitment and effort now. So for people to be calling Declan out in the manner they are, it’s disguising really. Those individuals have really short memories. On and off the field, Declan has been central to so many of our biggest triumphs over the years.
“It’s not that long ago they were throwing Rory Gallagher under the same bus. And look at him now. I’d ask people to just stop and think before they partake in this kind of thing. It’s ugly and it’s nasty. No one has any right to judge amateurs in that kind of way. Every single one of the players as well as Declan have jobs to go back into this morning.
“They have family that will have read that abuse. Our lads gave it their all yesterday. And it was there right up until the end. They were out on their feet.
“Yeah, you can talk about mistakes or wrong decisions made but Derry just made less in that last five minutes of extra-time. The margins were that thin. They just had a wee bit more legs down the home straight. It’s alright slapping them on the back in Donegal Town when they’re bringing cups home. But get behind them now – when they need it most. That’s real support.”
Meanwhile, Molloy says he’s also taken exception to comments made by Colm O’Rourke on yesterday’s live Sunday Game broadcast in relation to Michael Murphy and whether or not he’s deserving of his position on the list of modern GAA greats.
“It was bizarre,” Molloy said on the former Meath’s man’s heated dispute with fellow pundit Sean Cavanagh. “For god’s sake, how anyone can question the credentials of Michael is truly beyond me. No matter where I go in this country, Kerry, Dublin or wherever, everyone wants to talk abut Murphy and the legend that he is.”
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