The oul' dog for the hard road... and the pup for the path, An Fear Rua often says....

An Fear Rua thought he smelt a rat in recent weeks when Tony Browne failed to appear on the Waterford hurling team for two successive National Hurling League games. Knowing the renowned propensity of the Decies folk to fall out among themselves, often when success is finally in view, An Fear Rua was not totally convinced by the excuses advanced for Browne's absences: a groin injury one week, followed by a flu the following week. Indeed, with a propensity like that to medical ailments, tis' a wonder Browne was able to turn out for Waterford at all last year, let alone win an All Star award and end up as 'Hurler of the Year'!

Now, of course, the truth has emerged. The Waterford mentors, in their wisdom, suspended Browne for 'disciplinary' reasons, but have steadfastly refused to elaborate. The rumour is that the Mount Sion stalwart failed to show up a meeting of players called by the management.

Older Waterfordians will remember the 1960 episode when - within months of playing a vital role in the county winning an All Ireland - star half forward Tom Cheasty was suspended by the powers-that-be.

The barrel-chested Cheasty's 'offence' was to attend a 'foreign' dance, organised by the local Bohemians soccer club. Given that there was little in the way of 'gaelic' entertanment organised by the GAA in those days, the Ballyduff man could hardly be faulted for seeking entertainment where he could. Cheasty, by the way, was the man described by one scribe as 'wading through five Kilkenny men on his way to scoring, leaving them lying on the ground behind him like wasps'.

Now, by no means does An Fear Rua condone player indiscipline nor less hold with player revolts. Pulling on the jersey of your native county is an honour hundreds of thousands of dedicated GAA people will never savour, and should thus be cherished by all those who get the opportunity. In a sport where both players and mentors are still amateurs, this kind of behaviour is just not acceptable, though even in the halcyon days of Ring and Rackard it was not entirely unknown.

Folk outside Waterford must marvel at the risks being taken by Gerald McCarthy in leaving this talented player outside the dressing room. Inside the Gentle County, they must feel a bit like Slobodan Milosevic as he tunes in to the latest CNN bulletin.

Gerald MacCarthy is one of hurling's finest adornments of this or any other era, An Fear Rua asserts. Tony Browne is praised even if we remain silent. In ainm Dé agus Muire na nDéise, can these two hurling giants not get together and reconcile whatever misunderstanding or differences there may be between them? They owe this to themselves but, more importantly, they owe it to Waterford and to the game of hurling. The prospect of warm Summer days with Browne in full flight on the hurling field, culminating in a Waterford senior All Ireland, fifty years after their last victory, is a prospect neutral fans will savour.

Reports emanating from Waterford say MacCarthy has put the panel on the renowned Neutron diet. No doubt this diet has its place in God's great scheme of things, but An Fear Rua suspects a reversion to Ma Molloy's diet of pigs ears, cabbage and potatoes might bring them all to their senses....