Ulster sides may pay the penalty

GAA disciplinary chiefs look set to take a hard line stance in the wake of Sunday’s ill-tempered Ulster SFC quarter-final between Derry and Monaghan.

The Central Competitions Control Committee met yesterday to review a number of incidents which were caught by RTÉ cameras at Celtic Park including clashes between Brian Mullan and Monaghan’s Conor McManus along with a tussle involving Thomas Freeman and Derry’s Kevin McGuckin. Derry’s Fergal Doherty was the only player to receive a red card in the encounter.

Monaghan chairman John Connolly described media reaction to the game as ‘over the top’ while Ulster Council Chairman Tom Daly last night launched a strong defence of the province’s under-fire championship.