O’Brien threatens to quit over Corcoran controversy

TIPPERARY County Board Secretary Michael O’Brien has threatened to resign from his position over Croke Park’s handling of the Eamonn Corcoran controversy.

"I will have to seriously consider my position," said an angry Mr O'Brien, after it was officially confirmed that the GAA have ruled as "out of order" the appeals by Corcoran and the Tipperary County Board against the 12-week suspension imposed on the defender by the GAC.

Corcoran received the ban in April following his sending-off in the Allianz NHL clash against Galway at Pearse Stadium.

"This whole thing has been a shambles from start to finish, and I would find it difficult to work in future with the people that handled this matter so badly and so disgracefully," Mr O'Brien said yesterday.

The Tipperary county board had claimed that the red card Corcoran received was given on the basis of information supplied by the fourth official, and argued that the fourth official had no authority in advising the referee to issue a card. The wing back had been reported for striking with a hurley

The Tipperary secretary was yesterday notified about the reasons why the appeals by Corcoran and his County Committee were ruled out of order.

"Rule 151 D is quoted with regards to the Board's case. This states that in the case of an individual penalised or aggrieved, a club or other units may not make an appeal on his behalf. The aggrieved individual shall sign the appeal."

However, Mr O'Brien quoted rule 151 A, which states that County Committees in all cases shall have the right of appeal to Central Council.

Eamonn Corcoran's own appeal was ruled out because it was judged to be in contravention of rule 147, which states that an appeal has to be lodged within 72 hours of the original suspension being imposed.

Yesterday, Mr O'Brien maintained that the first he heard of the GAC's decision to suspend Corcoran was via a fax from Croke Park on Friday last at 12.04pm, and that he did not consider this document to be an official notification of the suspension.

He revealed that Corcoran himself did not receive the required notice in writing of his suspension until last Monday morning, and that the appeals of both Corcoran and the County Board were lodged in Croke Park at 2.50pm on that day.

"The mind boggles at how these appeals were ruled out of order. I find these decisions impossible to accept, and if I were to let my true feelings be known they would be unprintable," he said. He appeared to be resigned to the fact that there were little avenues left to his County Board or to Corcoran to explore, but he reiterated his threat of resignation.

"We have all suffered badly in this case, particularly the player himself, who is absolutely devastated. I don't know what course of action is left open to us, but this has left a very nasty taste indeed," he admitted.

He also said "this whole affair has been very upsetting for Eamonn.

"He has an impeccable record. Hurling is his whole life. He has lost out in playing in the League final and in the championship against Clare last Sunday, and there is a chance that his club will be gone from the senior hurling and football championships here in Tipperary before he returns.

"Twelve weeks was a savage sentence all for merely pushing a player out of his way," he said.