Tougher sanctions possible for diving, warns Aogán Ó Fearghail

GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail is open to the idea of the punishment for diving being upgraded from a yellow to a black or red card.

While insisting simulation is not a major issue, he said acts like Tiernan McCann’s against Monaghan have “nothing to do with the physical manliness of Gaelic games”. “It’s in the opposite space, so I would have no sympathy for that type of behaviour. Whatever is a stern reprimand for it, I would agree with. I haven’t thought it through what grade of card it should be.”

Ó Fearghail expects all his games committees, including the standing playing rules group chaired by Jarlath Burns, to study the season and come back with recommendations if required.