CCCC to come down hard on Armagh and Cavan
The Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) yesterday began their investigation into the Athletic Grounds controversy after it was mentioned in Marty Duffy’s referee’s report.
He took no disciplinary action at the time, leaving the CCCC clear to make any proposed suspensions based on video evidence.
Cavan’s Martin Dunne was unable to start the game after damaging a bone in his hand during the scuffle. The counties expect to hear the recommended punishments in the coming day or two.
In 2011, Monaghan and Kildare’s county boards were both handed down €5,000 fines after a row broke out between several players at half-time of their Division 2 clash in Clones.
GAA president Liam O’Neill insisted the CCCC would be treating the matter earnestly: “We don’t need those sort of scenes. We’d prefer that people would behave themselves. It took from what was a classic spectacle and that’s a pity.
“We’d like managers to take responsibility for their teams, line them up in an orderly manner and then go and do their parade and play the game. Unfortunately that didn’t happen yesterday, and it’s now the responsibility of the CCCC to investigate and to see what action is appropriate.
“Anything that damages our image is of concern to us and we’ll take this seriously and try to make sure it doesn’t happen again this summer.”
Armagh’s Aaron Kernan insisted there was nothing premeditated in captain Ciarán McKeever standing behind the Cavan flag.
“I didn’t realise there was an issue about what flag we were standing behind,” he said. “It was 100% not spoken about in the build-up to the game. We prepared well for the game and we discussed a lot of things, but what flag we were going to stand behind was definitely not one of them.”
Kernan expects the GAA will come down hard on both counties. “The home team usually stands on the outside line close to the crowd, but the Cavan flag was there, and there was a lot of pushing and shoving after that.
“It was a silly wee thing that got out of hand, but it still shouldn’t have happened.
“The GAA will deal with it and I’m sure this won’t be the last we hear about it. Hopefully the suspensions won’t be too severe.”
Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh, who is in action against Monaghan next Sunday, described the scenes as “shocking”. “It’s silly from the players’ and teams’ point of view. I don’t know if it was premeditated or not but it should be… the tradition of the GAA is that you walk the parade and sometimes as a player, you’d wonder what the benefit is.
“To me, it’s part of the tradition of the GAA and I grew up watching it at big matches in Clones. I think it was nonsense what went on and I’ve no doubt that Croke Park will come down and issue sanctions.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
