A true sign of Irishness if ever there was one, this afternoon Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt gave his opinion on the drawn All-Ireland SFC semi-final between Mayo and Dublin.
Schmidt became an Irish citizen at a ceremony in Dublin yesterday but proved he really belonged today by offering his opinion on GAA.
Joe Schmidt, Olly Hodges and Richardt Strauss all became citizens in a ceremony presided over by Judge Bryan McMahon pic.twitter.com/XsR22jRKu4
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) September 2, 2015
Schmidt said he would be cheering for Dublin and he was sypathetic towards them after they let slip a commanding second-half lead.
“Well, I have to be a Dub because my son is a bit of a fan,” he said after today’s team announcement.
“I did feel there were a little bit unlucky in some ways because they got such a big lead.
“But you have to say Mayo did a phenomenal job getting back into the game, when they were seven points down with such a short space of time to go.
“I think it made for a great spectacle.”
Schmidt brought his keen tactical analysis to bear, suggesting Dublin could be in trouble without the banned Diarmuid Connolly.
The Kiwi (sorry Irishman) was hoping to be able to watch Saturday’s replay, taking place just hours after Ireland’s final warm-up game against England in Twickenham.
“I’m hoping to get a sneaky look at it,” he laughed.
Truly one of our own.