Fair is fair as Cooney urges respect from players

GAA PRESIDENT Christy Cooney has called on top players to respect one another for the remainder of the championship.

He also admitted yesterday that referees need to become more consistent in the application of the rules.

Speaking at the launch of TV3’s championship coverage in Thurles, Cooney responded to fresh questioning as the fallout from Sunday’s ugly Ulster SFC quarter-final between Derry and Monaghan continues.

Cooney again insisted he will not be commenting on the disciplinary issues arising from the game as due process takes its course but the Cork native admitted he does not want to see a repeat of such controversial play.

Cooney said: “I saw the highlights but I’m not going to comment on the disciplinary issues around it because it’s a matter for the CCCC (Central Competitions Control Committee).

“It will always be my policy not to comment but we want games played in a sporting fashion and we would never condone any ugly scenes in matches. We hope we don’t have any more (ugly scenes) for the remainder of the championship and the CCCC will deal with it (last Sunday’s game) and deal with it effectively. We have very good people there and they will do a very good job.”

Cooney insisted that it’s too early to make a judgement call on the removal of the experimental rules in operation for the National Leagues but said that the situation would be reviewed after the 2009 championship.

He added: “We’re really only getting into the flow of the championship from next weekend but hopefully players will respect each other, respect the officials and play the games the way they should be played. We’re not going to comment on old rules or new rules at this stage, the decision was made at Congress and we will review the situation after the championship. If it’s right to come back to Congress with proposed changes, we will do that.”

In the wake of Sunday’s tempestuous Celtic Park encounter, Cooney has urged players, managers and county board officials to work together to ensure that a spirit of fair play prevails.

Cooney added: “It’s down to them to ensure that our games are played in a fashion that our spectators want.

“Sporting and good quality games are what we want and there is a lot of responsibility on everybody.”

Privately, GAA chiefs will call on referees to stringently apply the existing rules and to properly punish offences such as contributing to a melee.

Cooney reflected: “I have great faith in referees. I believe we have made significant progress over the last number of years and will continue to make progress but we need to get a little bit more consistency in the application of rules.

“I didn’t see last Sunday’s game and it’s hard to judge on highlights but referees are clear on the rules that exist.

“It’s a question of those being applied consistently but a referee never goes out to ensure that they are not.

“Sometimes games can be difficult to manage and others easy to control but I believe that 99% of the time, referees respond in a very positive manner and referee our games to the very highest quality and standard.”

When quizzed specifically on Derry manager Damien Cassidy’s comments that the result was all that mattered last Sunday, Cooney responded: “I don’t think that any player or manager goes out to cause injury or harm to any (opposition) players. All teams want to win and play the ball and that’s what they’ve trained for. They don’t train to play ugly football – that’s not what sport is about. I hope we get the right type of entertainment for the remainder of the year and the CCCC will deal with last weekend.”

Meanwhile former Armagh manager Joe Kernan believes that GAA disciplinary chiefs will make an example of Derry and Monaghan following last Sunday’s battle of Celtic Park.

Kernan admitted: “We all know how competitive and intense the Ulster championship is but both teams went overboard. If people have to be punished, so be it and lessons have to be learned.”

Kernan accepted that team managers have a responsibility to ensure that players approach matches in the correct manner but added: “You can have all the rules you want but if players don’t want to adhere to them, you’re going to have trouble. But the message will be sent out after last weekend that our Association won’t tolerate it.

“Players and managers have to look at themselves and admit that wasn’t good.

“The experimental rules in operation during the National League didn’t get through, for better or worse, but there were still some great matches last year under the current rules.”