RTÉ has said it will not be taking action against outspoken Sunday Game pundit Joe Brolly following his jibe that Cavan football was "as ugly" as GAA commentator Marty Morrissey.
Analysing Monaghan’s first round Ulster Championship clash with Cavan at the weekend, Brolly, who previously described Cavan’s style as "the black death", criticised the Breffni men’s first half display.
The former Derry forward said: “I’ve referred to Cavan in recent years as the black death because the football has been, as some people have said, as ugly as Marty Morrissey,” he said.
The comment prompted an awkward exchange between the studio guests, with host Michael Lyster immediately putting up his hand, saying: "No, no, no."
The barrister and former All-Star, who is also a high profile campaigner for organ donations and who donated a kidney to fellow GAA coach Shane Finnegan, replied: "Maybe that’s putting it…maybe I should apologise to the people of Cavan for that."
He later said: "What I said about Marty Morrissey was said in the spirit of affection and wasn’t meant literally."
Among those critical of Brolly’s remarks was former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, who claimed there was a "culture of sensationalism" at The Sunday Game.
Writing in The Irish Times, McGuinnness said: "The Sunday Game is considered to be the blue riband programme of RTÉ’s sports coverage. It is supposed to be something that exudes class. But in some instances it can look more like crass than class. Sunday was an example of this."
He added: "The culture of sensationalism may get ratings up but there is always going to be a human cost. And that human cost at the weekend was Marty Morrissey. But it will be someone else soon enough."
Speaking at a GAA charity match in Newcastle, Co Down, on Monday evening, Marty Morrissey declined to comment on the matter when pressed by The Irish News.
RTÉ confirmed that it would not be taking any disciplinary action against the 1993 All-Ireland winner.
An RTÉ spokeswoman said: "Joe made a comment and later on in the programme he apologised personally to Marty on air so we will just leave it at that."
