Players faking injuries will pay penalty, warn GAA

THE growing practice of players feigning injury has led to a tough response from the GAA.

In a swift crackdown, referees have been empowered to issue a yellow card to a player deemed guilty of faking an injury. An added penalty will be the awarding of a throw-in in hurling and a free to the opposing team in football.

One of the most high-profile cases of an alleged feigned injury happened in this year’s All-Ireland football final and resulted in the sending off of Armagh forward Diarmuid Marsden. While Marsden failed in a bid to lift his suspension when he appeared before the GAC, he has not given up and his appeal will be heard at next month’s Central Council meeting.

Meanwhile, all counties are to benefit financially from the gate receipts of the All-Ireland hurling and football qualifying games.

Each county will receive 24,000 from he hurling qualifiers and 35,000 from the football qualifiers. Last year the figures were 16,000 for hurling and 38,000 for football. The increased gate receipts in hurling can be attributed to the number of glamour confrontations during the year, including the two meetings of Limerick and Waterford, the Clare-Galway showdown, the clash of Clare and Tipperary and the Wexford and Waterford game. The Association is also to set up a special hardship fund for players, who suffer financially due to extenuating circumstances. 5% of all gates receipts from preliminary round qualifying games will go to the fund which is expected to raise between 100,000 and 150,000 annually.

However, for the first time since 1985 club insurance for public liability is to be increased by 20%.

It’s claimed one of the main reasons for the hike is the number of spurious claims submitted over the years. GAA chiefs are also disappointed at the small numbers who have joined the Players Voluntary Insurance Scheme.

Only 20,000 players have joined; 3,500 are Cork-based but in some counties as few as 200 players have taken out the insurance, which costs just 20.

The closing date for receipt of entries for this year’s AIB Club of the Year competition is tomorrow. A total of 39 awards and a prize fund of 100,000 are on offer with changes in the application process making it easier for smaller clubs to challenge for the top awards in their county. Following feedback from clubs around the country, the focus is solely on the progress made over the past 12 months, in terms of administration, coaching and development and community relations, as well as on the field.

Instead of clubs submitting support documentation, county officers can verify the authenticity of claims made.

This is the fourth year of the awards scheme and the number of entries from clubs has more than trebled since 2000, while AIB have also trebled their investment in the scheme.

There is a development award of 2,000 for every county winner, while the provincial winners receive 5,000. The award for the overall winner is 10,000.

Encouraging clubs to participate in the scheme, GAA President Sean Kelly said I t recognises the importance and significance of the club unit as ‘the cornerstone of the Association’.

Applications are available from the GAA, and online at www.gaa.ie and www.aib.ie/sport.

Meanwhile, TG4 will show the 1999 All-Ireland football final between Cork and Meath on their All-Ireland Gold slot next Saturday night, starting at 11.05pm.

On Sunday, GAA Beo features the the AIB Leinster club football semi-final between Laois champions Arles/Kilcruise and Round Towers of Kildare (throw-in 2pm).