‘Sunday Game’ influence denied
Seamus Woods made his comments in the wake of the publicity generated by Paul Galvin’s clash with Eoin Cadogan in Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final replay between Cork and Kerry.
The CCCC proposed a four weeks ban for Galvin following a review of the incident. That was automatically doubled as the Finuge forward has already served a ban for the same category offence this year, ironically following a clash with Cadogan in the NFL meeting of the counties in February.
Subsequently Kingdom officials have questioned whether the CCCC were influenced by comments made on the matter by The Sunday Game panel of Anthony Tohill, Colm O’Rourke and Tomás O Flaharta.
Kerry chairman Jerome Conway said yesterday: “I am curious how the CCCC decides which incidents are to be reviewed. Do they look at every game in full and decide what incidents need to be reviewed? “Or are they guided by what happens on The Sunday Game?
Galvin’s former team mate Darragh O Sé was highly critical of Tohill’s comments on RTÉ. O Sé said: “He didn’t have to be judge and jury on the whole thing. It wasn’t his place to be in that situation and I felt he should know better.”
But last night Mr Woods launched a stout defence of the CCCC.
Though he would not comment on the case involving Galvin, he said the The Sunday Game is not, never was, and never will be the only source of information as long as 1.5 million people continue to attend inter-county fixtures each year, and even more watch the 50 live games on tv.”
He also revealed that any member of the association can notify disciplinary chiefs if they see an incident “at a game or afterwards which was not contained in the referee’s report.”
When questioned about the Galvin case Mr Woods insisted: “Neither I, nor any member of the CCCC, will ever confirm or comment on any speculation surrounding possible past, present, or pending disciplinary matters.”
However on the broader level of how the CCCC operate he wished to clarify a number of issues.
He said: “It is ridiculous to suggest that what may be highlighted on The Sunday Game would not been seen elsewhere, or would somehow not otherwise come into the public domain.
“It is equally disingenuous to imagine that the CCCC would be oblivious of any particular incident, and that such an incident would remain a state secret but for The Sunday Game.
“The Sunday Game is not, never was, and never will be the only source of information as long as 1.5 million people continue to attend inter-county fixtures each year, and even more watch the 50 live games on tv.
“The GAA’s Disciplinary Handbook (Page 7, Paragraphs 1 and 2) specifies the 2 ways in which disciplinary action may commence.
“Firstly, where a referee’s report discloses an infraction arising from a game….. Secondly, where information comes to the attention of the Competitions Control Committee….by other means……
“Thus, for example, a member of the association may have seen an incident at a game or afterwards which was not contained in the referee’s report…..and may notify the Council or committee in charge.
“Therefore, an incident could be brought to the attention of a CCC by any member of the association, or, more specifically, by a member of the committee itself who might have been present at a game, or who was watching a live tv transmission of the game.
“The rules, procedures, and protocols under which the Central Competitions Control Committee must conduct its business are not unique; they are exactly the same as those which govern every other CCC in every county in Ireland and overseas.
“Every single county has at least two CCC’s within its own jurisdiction, and each one of them uses the exact same procedures as the Central Competitions Control Committee.
“It would, therefore, be rather inconsistent for a county to complain about procedures at national level when that same county and its officers are operating the exact same system and procedures within their own constituency.”
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