Red Hand boss Harte launches attack on referee Bannon

MICKEY HARTE has accused the media of “setting the agenda” when it comes to the GAA’s disciplinary process, while launching a scathing attack on John Bannon’s refereeing in Tyrone’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to Cork last Sunday week.

The Red Hands’ manager argues that referees are now a protected species and rather than have respect demanded for them, should actually earn it.

Harte is clearly angry that the repeated highlighting of incidents by the media inevitably leads to the CCCC taking action, whereas those involved in incidents not picked up by television and commented on negatively by pundits avoid censure.

This leads to a “flawed” system according to Harte.

“It’s been clear for a long time that television coverage and programme directors/editors, along with studio pundits, have been setting the agenda,” he wrote in yesterday’s Irish News.

“Perhaps it is time for the CCCC to become more transparent and tell us exactly how the process works.

“Currently, the ‘facts’ seem to suggest that, if an incident is repeatedly highlighted by the media, then those involved are taken to task. If this is the case — and it’s difficult to accept otherwise — (then) the system is flawed.”

Harte refers to a number of incidents in the All-Ireland semi-final between Tyrone and Cork when making his argument, and makes his displeasure with Bannon’s performance very clear.

“The sending off of Alan O’Connor received a lot of attention and he is generally deemed to have been hard done by. While this may be the case, the decision for that action lay squarely with one man, and that was not Owen Mulligan (who O’Connor was adjudged to have fouled).

“In the modern game, players are coached to roll tackles and avoid head-on collisions if possible. That the physical contact wasn’t as severe as it might have been may well have been due to Owen’s skill in getting out of the way and preserving his own well-being as far as possible.

“Ironically, between the sending off in the 30th minute and half time at 37 minutes, when John Bannon stopped the game with Ryan McMenamin in an advanced attacking position, Cork were awarded seven frees to Tyrone’s none. Even more ironically, in the 49th minute, Kevin Hughes received a full-frontal shoulder charge from a player already on a yellow card and ended up in need of medical assistance.

“Not only was there no further action taken by the ref against the perpetrator, but the RTÉ commentator Martin Carney saw fit to describe it as part and parcel of the game. He also told us, inaccurately, that both men went for the ball — there was nothing malicious, it was accidental.

“With the advantage of replays, that description of the incident is evidence of a case for an appointment with a good optician.”

Harte says this is further proof the reaction of pundits is influencing Croke Park discipline chiefs. Harte also argues Bannon was wrong not to upgrade John Miskella’s yellow card to a red.

Referring to the manner in which Cavan referee Brian Crowe has fallen down the inter-county pecking order following his decision not to upgrade Cork half-back Noel O’Leary’s yellow to a red after the 2007 semi-final, he added: “The fact that John Bannon has announced his retirement, and consequently won’t incur a similar dearth of future opportunities, is probably the key indicator as to why he stuck by his original (wrong) decision.

“Rule 146 (b) 0.G. unequivocally describes ‘striking or attempting to strike with arm, elbow, hand or knee’ as a category II offence which carries a minimum four-week suspension. It’s time referees became more of a respected species — respect earned — and less of a protected species.”