This weekend, former Cork hurler Donal Óg Cusack was asked about his comments regarding the Tailteann Cup, and the exchange with Joanne Cantwell, the presenter of The Sunday Game, was tense.
A few weeks ago, Cusack made comments about the Tailteann Cup that received a negative response from the football community.
For context, the Tailteann Cup is a second-tier Gaelic football tournament for senior county teams. It involves seventeen teams that didn't reach their provincial final, including New York.
Cusack, speaking on Morning Ireland, said, "The microwave hurling championship gets a little chance to breathe this weekend. The GAA has two provincial football finals and the start of the Tailteann Cup, which, if you haven't heard of it, is a sort of Gaelic football Grand National for disappointed also-rans."
Many individuals within the GAA, both past and present, didn't appreciate Cusack's comments. Last weekend, Cantwell, Cusack, Anthony Daly, and Joe Canning were doing punditry work ahead of the Munster Senior Hurling games when Cantwell questioned Cusack about his "disparaging comments about the Tailteann Cup."
Joanne: You said, “It’s a Grand National for also-rans.”
Donal Óg: That’s not exactly what I said.
What he said on Morning Ireland on 12 May:
“It’s a sort of Gaelic Football Grand National for disappointed also-rans.”
I think Joanne was close enough. pic.twitter.com/1KnPl8Nqu1— Indo (@IndoHowlers) May 21, 2023
The tense exchange unfolded as follows:
Joanne Cantwell: "You went on Morning Ireland just over a week ago and made these disparaging comments about the Tailteann Cup. Why would you do that?"
Donal Óg Cusack: "We are here to talk about hurling, now we're talking about Gaelic football?"
Cusack: "Were they happy to be in the Tailteann Cup?"
Cantwell: "You said it's a Grand National for also-rans."
Cusack: "Joanne, we are here to talk about hurling, and the next time you come asking me questions, make sure you quote me correctly."
Cantwell: "Do you believe secondary competitions, namely the Tailteann Cup, are important?"
Cusack: "Of course, you must have secondary competitions. You want a proper development path where everybody can see a pathway all the way to the top of the game. There is no question there, Joanne."
Joe Canning, the Galway legend who was also present, said: "He's promoted the Tailteann Cup better than anybody in the last week or two, I would say. There are more people talking about it now."
Cusack: "Thanks very much, Joe."
The full video can be seen here.
