Anxious wait for Kerry and Donegal as CCCC look set to review Fitzgerald Stadium fracas

The CCCC will await referee Seán Hurson’s report into the tempestuous Kerry-Donegal SFC clash in Killarney before deciding if further action is warranted

BATTLE SCARS: Donegal's Ryan McHugh in the wake of their victory over All-Ireland champions Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium. Pic: James Lawlor, Inpho

Kerry and Donegal face anxious waits as the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) look set to review the half-time row between the counties in Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC opener in Killarney.

Fines are certainly expected and retrospective suspensions could be the order of the day for players and officials who were involved in extended heated exchanges.

The CCCC will await referee Seán Hurson’s report before deciding if further action is warranted. The Tyrone match official sent off Micheál Burns for his involvement in a grapple with Ryan McHugh, which left the Donegal defender bleeding from the head. He also booked Evan Looney.

Prior to that, Hurson had spoken with managers Jack O’Connor and Jim McGuinness about having too many backroom team members on the sideline. After the groups eventually left the field, Hurson spent several minutes on the field talking to his fellow match officials.

After the game, McGuinness took umbrage with the suggestion he may be punished for his involvement in the fracas. Having seen the state of McHugh, the Donegal manager appeared to push Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor.

A Category IVa.1 offence by a team official is “any type of physical interference with an Opposing Player or Team Official” and carries a 12-week suspension.

Video footage also shows Paudie Clifford being pushed by a Donegal maor uisce. A Kerry backroom team official could also be in trouble having been directed to the stand for the second half.

Unlike Ger Brennan who picked up the penalty for his involvement in another half-time row in the Galway-Dublin Division 1 final round game in March, McGuinness wasn’t sent off.

Asked afterwards if he was worried he might be punished considering Brennan’s ban, McGuinness replied: “Are you trying to get me a ban? Is that what you're saying?” 

When it was pointed out the matter was shown on GAA+, an angry McGuinness responded: “Okay, so you're flying that kite, are you?” He added: “You’re not talking about the incident. You're talking about the fact that, out of 50 people, you're finger-pointing me. Is that what you're saying?” 

Although McGuinness admitted he didn’t see how McHugh was cut, he was agitated having seen his blooded face. “There was a strike and he (McHugh) split. People are not happy that once your players get split, people are not going to be happy. That's just the bottom line. So, it was dealt with by the referee.” 

Donegal and Kerry were previously issued €7,500 fines in 2016 when their players engaged in unsavoury scenes in a Division 1 game. Neil McGee was retrospectively issued with a one-match suspension.