CCCC to crack down on number of officials and subs on GAA sidelines this weekend

CRACKDOWN: Tensions at half time in the match between Kerry and Donegal. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

A crackdown on the numbers of team officials and substitutes permitted on inter-county GAA sidelines is expected to come into force this weekend.

A directive is to be issued by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) in the wake of the unsavoury scenes in the Kerry-Donegal All-Ireland SFC Round 1 game in Killarney last weekend.

Before the start of the second half, referee Seán Hurson spoke to managers Jack O’Connor and Jim McGuinness about clearing the sidelines.

Several substitutes and backroom team members were involved in the half-time fracas that saw Kerry forward Micheál Burns sent off for striking Ryan McHugh.

Both counties received €7,500 fines but no retrospective suspensions were proposed by the CCCC as they deemed Hurson had dealt with the incidents at the time.

However, Croke Park are to issue a warning later this week about who and what is permitted on the whitewash. Referees are to be reminded about enforcing match regulations whereby only the manager, one selector and a medic are permitted in “the bainisteoir’s zone” during the game.

A maximum of 16 team and county officials are allowed into the controlled zone, which is the dressing room and pitch-side area.

Such breaches of the regulations could be considered questioning the authority of the referee, which would be a yellow card offence and may result in a free to the opposing team.

The news comes as it was revealed fines are the extent of the retrospective penalties for Kerry and Donegal arising from their recent meeting in Fitzgerald Stadium.

David Clifford and Jim McGuinness will face no recommended punishments. However, the Irish Examiner understands Burns was cited for a Category 4 infraction and could face a two-match ban for making contact with McHugh.

Towards the end of the first half, Clifford reacted to a hit on the head by Caolan McGonagle by raising an elbow in shoving into the Donegal player who fell to the ground.

McGuinness also responded in pushing Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor having seen the bloodied face of McHugh. The Donegal manager afterwards took exception to the possibility that he could be punished.

In light of Dublin manager Ger Brennan’s 12-week ban for putting his hands on Galway strength and conditioning coach Cian Breathnach-McGinn, the inconsistency in punishment will raise questions. However, Brennan was sent off for his infraction while McGuinness was not.

In the case of Brennan, who was dismissed by referee Fergal Kelly in the Dublin-Galway Division 1 final round game in Pearse Stadium in March, the Central Competitions Control Committee had no choice but to pursue the penalty.

Brennan brought his case as far as the Disputes Resolution Authority but it was upheld. The St Vincent’s man has missed all three of Dublin’s Leinster SFC fixtures and will also be missing from the sideline for this Sunday’s All-Ireland opener against Louth in Croke Park.

As well as that, he is banned from Dublin’s first two Division 2 games in 2027 and could yet miss their second round All-Ireland game next month if the game is scheduled for a Saturday. His three-month suspension elapses the day before.

It is believed references to the actions of certain individuals involved in the game were mentioned in Hurson’s report but none that would led to proposed bans.

Burns is in line to be banned for Kerry’s Round 2 game on June 13 or 14 and possibly, depending on that result, their Round 3 fixture or first game in next year’s Division 1.

In his Donegal Live column, former Donegal footballer Pauric McShea hit out at the national media’s criticism of Jim McGuinness’ push on O’Connor and Burns’ “cowardly punch” on Ryan McHugh.

The two-time Ulster SFC winner wrote: “The national media deserve no credit for attempting to compare Donegal manager Jim McGuinness’ push on a Kerry player to an incident that deserves investigation.

“In a hostile atmosphere, any manager would have had a right to be seriously upset seeing Ryan McHugh with blood streaming down his face after a cowardly punch from a Kerry player.

“If that incident had taken place off the pitch, the offending player would have faced an assault charge. The Kerry supporters, booing every time Michael Murphy got the ball – and that was very often – let themselves down with such petty behaviour.

“Michael gave them their answer by once again playing a hugely positive role in his team’s outstanding display.”

McShea also questioned the attitude towards Donegal and likened it to how Down made the breakthrough in the 1960s.

“I have often noticed a strange dichotomy among GAA supporters whereby success by the great traditional counties in football is admired and supported at all times, but the arrival of new county teams to sup at the banquet of championship success is not so warmly welcomed.”