Kelly sees need for change in GAC role

GAA/ Games Administration Committee: GAA president Seán Kelly is considering a complete reform of the association's central disciplinary function. He described the pressure on the current Games Administration Committee as "unbearable" and advocated a "more independent" body to handle discipline.

Already both he and chair Tony O'Keeffe have spoken in favour of Kelly's idea that the GAC's fixtures and discipline jurisdictions be separated. The president's ideas go further than that, with a suggestion that the national disciplinary committee be a specialist unit without the representative composition of the current GAC.

"There's a lot of merit in looking at the make-up of the disciplinary committee," he told The Irish Times.

"Personally I think it would be more desirable if we had more independent members, not representative of provincial councils or any other interests and not in a position to be influenced - or for that perception to exist."

The comments come after some controversial decisions on disciplinary matters on Saturday. Clare captain Seán McMahon received a four-week ban for his red card in the Clare-Tipperary match last week. Referee Aodhán Mac Suibhne cited him for dangerous play rather than striking despite television evidence to the contrary.

Tyrone footballer Gavin Devlin received a 12-week suspension after being seen on television standing on Colm Parkinson during the Laois-Tyrone NFL final. Devlin, who appeared before the GAC, was consequently ineligible for Tyrone's comfortable replay victory over Derry, also on Saturday.

Finally, Tipperary hurler Eamonn Corcoran had his 12-week suspension, for striking in the NHL match with Galway, upheld - by a remarkably narrow margin - on appeal to Central Council.

"To be fair to the committee, they considered each case on its merits and voted accordingly," said Kelly. "But when there are charges of inconsistency, that reflects the pressure on GAC both in terms of what members have to do and the physical pressure of having to come from all around the country to attend regular meetings. At this stage that pressure is unbearable.

"Fixtures have grown out of all proportion. There has been an increase in the numbers of officials to be appointed to matches and the whole disciplinary aspect, which used to be handled by the provincial councils, is now the responsibility of GAC. There has been a huge increase in workload."

The GAC also suspended Derry footballer Conleth Gilligan for four weeks in respect of a red card issued during the drawn match with Tyrone.