John Bannon: Numbers around dugouts should be curbed

BRAWL: Two-time All-Ireland SFC referee John Bannon has reiterated his call to clean up sidelines in the wake of Saturday’s brawl in Parnell Park. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

Two-time All-Ireland SFC referee John Bannon has reiterated his call to clean up sidelines in the wake of Saturday’s brawl in Parnell Park.

Longford man Bannon, now the Leinster GAA referee development committee secretary, argues too many people, particularly substitutes, are allowed on the whitewash. Furthermore, he believes some dugouts should also be revised in the interests of safety but stresses it is also a financial issue.

Two Oulart-the-Ballagh players Tommy Storey and Declan Buggy, who had just been replaced, were sent off by referee Shane Guinan arising from the violent scenes in the club’s Leinster intermediate club quarter-final against Naomh Barróg.

A columnist with the Irish Examiner in the early 2010s, Bannon wrote at the time that the numbers around the dugout areas should be curbed and the latest incident in Donnycarney would appear to strengthen his point.

Currently, a maximum of 16 team/club officials are allowed entry to the controlled zone, which is defined as the dressing room and pitch area. On Saturday, both Naomh Barróg and Oulart-the-Ballagh listed 28 players in their matchday squads.

Mindful not to speak specifically about the game as the Leinster Council begins its investigation into the matter, Bannon remarked: “Some grounds can cope with the number of substitutes but a lot of the intermediate and junior games are not played at county grounds. The subs on the sideline, it just leads to hassle in a volatile situation. Most games don’t have them but a heavy presence of them can contribute to clashes.

“These are periodic events. I don’t think there has been that many incidents like this recently – what has happened over these past few months related to referees – but they usually spring up in club matches.” 

Bannon also wonders what advantage there is for managers situating themselves on the sideline in the current game when they can’t relay messages onto the field. 

“I’m not a team manager but I don’t know what difference having a manager on the sideline makes when you’re not able to get messages onto the pitch. I don’t see the benefit of it, I don’t see it being the winning or losing of a game having selectors there.

“The area around pitches are tight enough when you have water carriers and then three substitutes at a time running up and down warming up.

“I remember one manager speaking years ago having been suspended from the sideline of it being more beneficial to watch the game from the stand. He could see more of the game from that vantage point.” 

The Leinster Council’s competitions control committee, which is headed up by provincial chairman Pat Teehan, met on Monday evening to discuss referee Guinan’s report after it was received earlier in the day.

It is expected the body will request the clubs to identify individuals involved in the incidents both on the pitch and in the stand. The stewarding of the game is also believed to be under review. Naomh Barróg are due to face Bray Emmets in their Leinster intermediate semi-final on Saturday, November 26.

Meanwhile, former Clare captain Patrick O’Connor has ended his inter-county career having been sidelined with a serious knee injury the last two seasons.

The 2013 All-Ireland SHC winner also won a National League title in 2016 and back-to-back All-Ireland U21 titles. Tulla man O’Connor, 31, skippered the Banner from 2017 to ‘19 under the management of Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor.

Clare FM also report Jack Browne and Shane Golden will not be part of Brian Lohan’s plans in 2023 along with Gary Cooney and Domhnall McMahon. Browne, 29, recently guided Ballyea to a successful defence of their senior county title and will lead the defence in Sunday’s Munster semi-final against St Finbarrs in Cusack Park.