GAA may probe 'biting' incident in Ulster football final

The alleged incident occurred in the closing stages of extra time, although the Armagh player was able to continue

DERRY DELIGHT: Derry players celebrate their penalty shootout victory over Armagh at St Tiernach's Park in Clones. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

An Armagh player was allegedly 'bitten' by a Derry opponent during Sunday's dramatic Ulster senior football final in Clones. Derry won their second consecutive provincial title after a penalty shootout with Kieran McGeeney's Armagh side.

The incident occurred in the closing stages of extra time, although the Armagh player was able to play on, say sources familiar with the allegation. 

It doesn’t appear referee David Gough dealt with the incident at the time, suggesting the matter could be revisited by the Central Competitions Control Committee.

The game had a number of flashpoints. Off the ball, Armagh defender Aaron McKay was deemed to have twisted Shane McGuigan’s fingers and was yellow-carded for the incident.

However, biting incidents have been notoriously difficult to prove due to insufficient evidence and counties’ unwillingness to co-operate. 

In 2013, Donegal forward Paddy McBrearty was bitten on his arm in an Allianz Division 1 game against Dublin but defender Kevin O’Brien avoided a three-match ban after Dublin successfully contested the decision. In his annual report for that year, then GAA director general Páraic Duffy condemned the behaviour of Dublin and Donegal and stated the bite marks on McBrearty’s arm were 'severe'. 

He wrote: “The CCCC investigated the matter as thoroughly as possible, but was greatly hindered by the absence of video and other evidence. The CCCC, therefore, was reliant on the integrity of those involved to play their part in ensuring that justice was served. However, no one was proved to have inflicted the bite simply because no one admitted to having done so and because the player who was bitten decided not to attend a hearing on the case. 

"The counties involved may have chosen to deal with this incident solely in terms of their own interests; be that as it may, they did not emerge with any credit and succeeded only in damaging the reputation of the Association." 

Two years later, Meath manager Mick O’Dowd claimed defender Mickey Burke was bitten on his finger by a Dublin player towards the end of that year’s Leinster final but Meath chose not to pursue the matter. Earlier in 2014, Dublin’s Jason Whelan was banned for eight weeks for an incident in an O’Byrne Cup game against DCU.  

Meanwhile, it is understood the Clare and Waterford team officials sent off in Saturday’s Munster SHC final in Thurles were cited for Category II (a) “engaging in disruptive behaviour” incidents. 

The Waterford hurley carrier and Clare backroom member were shown red cards by referee John Keenan before the start of the second half following a couple of incidents as the teams and management left the field at half-time. The penalty for such indiscipline is a four-week suspension which must include at least one game.