Discipline top of the agenda for Red Hands

TYRONE County Board chairman Ciaran McLaughlin will meet his new Competitions Control Committee (CCC) to ensure they tackle growing discipline problems head on.

This follows the brawl at the league final between Dromore and Carrickmore last month where four people from each club, who were found to have been fighting in the stands, were banned for one year, while three Carrickmore players were also hit with bans for fighting.

“Unfortunately, in 2011, Tyrone County had unacceptable incidents at some games across the codes,” he said.

“When these incidents occur, the CCC are charged with investigating and proposing sanctions to offenders. On these occasions, having available to them all the material facts they are the initial decision makers. When they issue proposed sanctions, our clubs either congratulate or vilify the CCC depending on the outcome.

“As we enter a new GAA year I would hope our clubs will unite with what will be a new CCC in 2012 and decide enough is enough and tackle ill-discipline head on. None of us can stand by and watch incidents unfold which bring shame on the association.

“These are not acceptable and must be eradicated from our games. Alongside the CCC, I urge our clubs to review internally codes of conduct and ensure these are strong in content and widely available to your members.

“It is no longer acceptable for the volunteers who don the referees jersey to go through a match being subjected to abusive language or worse. This also is unacceptable and a matter which the new CCC will be asked to deal with very severely.”

McLaughlin also voiced his frustrations with the handling of fixtures at Ulster level.

“The non-facilitation of our SFC winners [was an issue], Dromore in the Ulster Club first round whilst other games were put off for those involved in the Compromise Rules.

“Our case was well stated yet the Ulster CCC would not facilitate our request, instead indicating that we knew when our teams were needed for Ulster this time last year.

“The impact of this will have to be considered when planning 2012 football championships. Within the county, unless we decide the only way to proceed is to play games Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout September and early October, we will have to seriously consider where we schedule our matches in order to facilitate Ulster Competitions which in 2012 start mid-October for our SFC winners.”