Kettle: No blood sub rule broken by Mayo

A Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) decision from six years ago has convinced Dublin not to appeal against Mayo’s use of substitutes in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final.

County chairman Andy Kettle confirmed that after deliberating amongst management committee members and their attention being drawn to the DRA’s ruling in favour of Offaly after a protest by Kildare following the use of six substitutes in the Leinster SFC quarter-final, they opted not to follow up the matter.

As outlined in The Irish Examiner yesterday, Kildare had brought a case to the DRA when Offaly’s Pascal Kelleghan was forced off in the first half with a blood injury and was replaced by James Coughlan.

However, Kelleghan returned to the action in the second-half in the place of Trevor Phelan.

Similarly on Sunday, Mayo’s Kevin McLoughlin was replaced by Colm Boyle but came back on in place of another player, Jason Doherty.

Satisfied that proper procedure was followed by Mayo’s management and board officials, Kettle said Dublin won’t be taking the case any further.

“Mayo broke no rule,” he said. “They were quite within their rights to do what they did, as we discovered having studied the DRA ruling in 2006.

“We wish them the very best of luck in the All-Ireland final.”

As a result of the DRA’s deliberations six years ago, Offaly’s semi-final against Wexford, which was supposed to form one part of a double-header, was pushed back by a week.

At the time, the Kildare County Board released a statement expressing their disappointment that the blood substitution rule is open to serious abuse.

Six years on, Kettle is keen to see a time limit put on blood replacements after one of Mayo’s three players — Colm Boyle — introduced under the rule, finished out the game while another — Richie Feeney — lasted almost 40 minutes. Dublin could put forward a motion to next year’s Congress to clear up the rule.