High Court orders Galway GAA not to hold disputed match
Peter Finlay SC, counsel for Killererin GAA Club secretary Sylvester Cassidy, told High Court president Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan yesterday that Killererin had drawn a quarter-final match with Carraroe on July 4 at Tuam.
Mr Finlay said that after the drawn game, the referee had been approached by a Galway County Board official and told he could have played extra time to decide the match. Mr Finlay said the referee had called both teams back on to the pitch to play extra time. The Killererin players were in the showers at the time and had refused to go out again.
As a result, Carraroe had been allowed to take the pitch on their own, and after having kicked a point over the bar, were awarded the match.
Mr Finlay said the Killererin players had sought an appeal hearing by the County Board, but had been told the board had made up its mind. An appeal to the Connacht Board had been turned down.
He told Mr Justice Finnegan that the referee's decision had allowed Carraroe to move to the semi-final of the county championship and the side were scheduled to meet Corofin tomorrow.
If the match was allowed, the application of the Killererin team would become moot.
Mr Justice Finnegan granted the Killererin club secretary an injunction restraining the County Board from playing the Carraroe-Corofin game before Wednesday when the matter could again be brought to court.
Meanwhile, a misunderstanding between a referee and his linesman is believed to be at the root of a controversial decision to dismiss Blackhall Gaels from the Meath SFC.
Gaels beat defending champions Dunshaughlin in the quarter-final, 2-10 to 2-8, in Dunboyne to book themselves a place in the semi-final against Seneschalstown.
But the combined Batterstown/Kilcloon club fielded Meath panelist and ineligible player Anthony Moyles and were officially thrown out of the championship on Thursday night.
That cleared the way for Dunshaughlin to contest their fourth semi-final in a row and vie for their third Keegan Cup in three years. Gaels have vowed to "fight 100%" to have the decision overturned. Club officials are scathing that Moyles was sent off.
Gaels secretary Bruce Crehan said: "It's been reported in some papers that it was a case of mistaken identity with Anthony, and that the red card was meant for someone else on our team. That's not true at all.
"What actually happened was that when we were playing Ballinlough, an incident occurred and the lines-man shouted to the referee '14 on 8'," Crehan said.
"Ballinlough's full-forward Gary McDonnell had committed the foul and that's what the linesman was saying. But the referee took him up wrongly and thought he said '14 and 8'. That's why he sent off Anthony," he said.
Meanwhile, Sligo GAA have been plunged in controversy over the legality of two of their promising stars.
Sligo senior panelist Eddie Brennan, from Drumcliffe, has been accused of playing illegally with Donegal club side St Eunan's, Letterkenny, in this year's championship event.
Brennan's fate is due to be decided on Tuesday as Donegal County Board refer an objection for the Ardara club to Croke Park for further clarification.
Ardara's objection centred on the players (permanent address) as per rule 37. Brennan is a former student of Letterkenny IT, and the dispute centres around whether he is living permanently in Letterkenny or Drumcliffe.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Sligo's top scorer in this year's club championships has played for Shannon Blues in Boston and Curry in this year's championship.
Garry Maye has been a revelation since returning from the US last month. But senior American officials are adamant that the Curry star got no inter-county transfer or sanction from Croke Park for his move from Curry to the US. Sligo County Board secretary Tommy Kilcoyne confirmed that Maye did not transfer to the US.
