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Padraig Harrington slams French team

Irishman says golf is fairer sport

By
SEAN O'SHEA
,
IrishCentral.com Sports Writer
Published Friday, November 20, 2009, 9:46 AM
Updated Friday, November 20, 2009, 10:00 AM
Read more: Thierry Henry


Padraig Harrington is disappointed with the French team
Padraig Harrington is disappointed with the French team

Irish golfer Padraig Harrington has slammed the French team for the way they celebrated after Thierry Henry's hand ball helped them win their World Cup clash with Ireland.

Ireland's leading sportsman told the Irish Examiner : "Their celebration of cheating was particularly galling.

"It’s just strange because in golf there is a different attitude. But in football, if somebody makes a mistake, I would say putting your hand out is a reaction and a mistake.

“So the great thing in golf is if we do something wrong, we hold our hand up and say, hey, hang on a second, I didn’t mean that, sorry. You go back and take your penalty. 

"It just seems perfectly reasonable for that to happen but not in France’s case. But the celebration was pretty hard to look at. 

"Everybody makes a mistake and I would not hold it against them, but then to act like it never happened." 

Meanwhile, former GAA president Sean Kelly has called for a replay. "What happened on Wednesday was appalling. As an Irish sports fan, I am angry and annoyed at the injustice of Thierry Henry’s double hand ball,” he said. 

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Padraig Harrington slams French team | Irish Sport | IrishCentral


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Posted by antrimliam on Nov 20, 2009, 11:31 AM EST
Absolutely disgusting . Only the French could be involved. The fact that Platini EUFA AND FIFA have said nothing Makes it more to seem like they did not want the Irish team to go to South Africa.So Ithink the calls for replay have about as much chance of happening as a snowballs chance in hell. In retrospect if the Irish team had taken all the chances afforded to them the handball situation would be a mute point. I counted at least three chances where they should have scored and should have won comfortably. I won,t be rooting for France in the World Cup
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Posted by Shmrck5S on Nov 20, 2009, 10:16 AM EST
Padraig makes a great point about those who play golf calling infractions on themselves. It's one of the things that makes the sport far above others. However, golf is the ONLY sport I know of where that sort of thing happens. In every other sport, the idea is to push the rules until you get caught and punished. What happened in the Ireland/France match is wrong, it's terrible, and it may cost Ireland money, morale, and prestige. But it's done. Heads of government have more important things to do than complain about (even the tainted) outcome of a soccer match.


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