The GAA's Jim jam: we applied the rules, insists Burns

Jarlath Burns admitted the timing of Ger Brennan’s suspension has been tough on the St Vincent’s man. 

President of the GAA Jarlath Burns. Pic: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

GAA president Jarlath Burns has strongly defended the association’s disciplinary system in the wake of inconsistency accusations.

The process has been criticised following the decision not to punish Donegal manager Jim McGuinness for pushing Kerry player Diarmuid O’Connor last Saturday week as Dublin’s Ger Brennan continues to serve a 12-week ban for minor physical interference with a Galway coach in March.

McGuinness was not sent off for the action, while Brennan was and the distinction formed part of Burns’ backing of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

He said: “The referee (Seán Hurson) took a different opinion on it (McGuinness’ push) and you have to remember the referee was in the middle of that, the fourth official saw it as well. The referee referred to it in his report and left it at that.

“If the Ger Brennan event hadn’t happened, nobody would have been focusing on that. But I heard people saying the GAA painted ourselves into a corner. No, we didn’t. We applied the rules. That’s all we do. We just apply the rules.

“If people want to change the rules, bring a motion to Congress and we’ll change the rules. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I have sympathy for Ger Brennan and the fact that he has missed so much of the championship.”

Burns admitted the timing of Brennan’s suspension has been tough on the St Vincent’s man. 

“The difficulty was because it came in the very last game of the league, people feel it was very disproportionate because Ger missed out for 12 weeks, not only in his county, but he also takes the U10s in his club, he wasn’t able to attend matches, he wasn’t able to attend training.

“He shipped a lot of abuse on social media which was totally unfair and which I would utterly condemn. Ger Brennan is a good person and didn’t deserve any of that.”

Burns, who described referee Hurson as one of the best football referees in the country, indicated the CCCC have to consider how much they can make a penalty stick before administering it.

“Whenever the CCCC meet, they have to then say whatever sanction we impose, let’s say retrospectively, if the referee has decided not to act upon it, will that pass hearings, appeals and the DRA?

“They have to be cognisant of that because there’s nothing more embarrassing than something done in good faith at CCCC and then losing it at hearings.”

At the same time, Burns condemned the act of a manager putting his hands on a player. “Absolutely and none of this would have happened if managers, mentors and subs had stayed off the field and allowed the referee and the 30 players to do their business.

“The moment managers (encroach) onto the field, they are entitled to be suspended, to face the sanctions, if the referee used that (behaviour) as being sanctionable.”

The Armagh man insisted he empowers the CCCC to make their own decisions and does not interfere for a number of reasons.

“What people need to realise is that it is not my job to give an opinion in CCCC decisions. I never, ever talk to CCCC. They are separate and distinct from me. I never talk to (CCCC chairman) Brian Carroll particularly because I have a son (Armagh footballer Jarly Óg) involved. None of that is my business. It is my job to explain the rationale behind the CCCC.”

After there were several claims that the All-Ireland SFC first round draw was premature, Burns revealed next year’s could be split into two. As was the case last month, the Connacht and Munster finalists would find out their opponents the day after their provincial finals but the Leinster and Ulster finalists seven days later.

Also, in Tuesday’s second round draw, all four provincial winners – Armagh, Kerry, Roscommon and Westmeath – were drawn away from home.

Burns remarked: “I was talking to Tim Murphy from the Munster Council and he feels that the provincial champions should have three home venues (in the All-Ireland series), just to give a wee bit of a leg-up to the people who have won their provincial titles. So year one (of the new format) is where we are. And if all we have to change is that, we’re only tweaking.”

As Gaelic football’s expert workgroup weighs up further changes to the game, it’s Burns’ personal opinion that the solo and go be extended to line balls.

“I would love to see that trialled because remember, if a ball goes out of play for a line ball, it’s a foul, you’ve fouled the ball. So, a line ball should accrue and advantage for the opposition.” 

Burns added: “That’s the sort of thing they might look at but my early feedback from the expert advisory group on football is that there’s nothing that much coming up. It’s been a really good year of football.”