IT WAS confirmed last night by Dublin county board sources that moves are afoot to overturn last Monday's controversial decision regarding the Jason Sherlock affair. An emergency meeting of the county board will be held on Tuesday and a motion will be tabled to rescind last Monday night's decision. However, that motion cannot be discussed until a following meeting.
It has also been confirmed that a number of clubs have mandated their delegates to reverse the decision taken by the county committee last Monday evening. The majority was 16 votes with 12 abstentions, so a switch of nine votes could swing the matter.
The affair continued to develop yesterday with the release of two statements, from the Dublin players and the Round Towers club.
The controversy arose when the county committee refused to back its investigating committee's recommendation that county vice-chairman Paddy Delaney be suspended for two months for spitting at Sherlock in a sideline argument with the player during last March's under-21 match between Dublin and Offaly.
The players' statement released last night said: "In light of the recent controversy and adverse publicity surrounding the Dublin county board's investigation into a complaint in connection with the Dublin under-21 championship match against Offaly and the subsequent intense and concerted media pressure on players, the football panel and management believe it incumbent on themselves to make a statement.
"We consider it unfortunate and regrettable that the matter should have arisen at all and would like to take the opportunity to compliment the Dublin county board management committee and investigating committee for their thorough investigation and their findings on the matter as publicised.
"We are disappointed and at a loss to understand the attitude of most of the club delegates as reported in the meeting held on Monday, May 12th.
"In particular we find it incomprehensible that having appointed a committee to carry out the investigation, that their recommendations were subsequently rejected. We feel that given the voting pattern or abstentionism on behalf of some of the delegates, that an alternative contradictory scenario might have influenced their behaviour on the night in question.
"Unfortunately this behaviour of the delegates does little to enhance the image or the well-being of the Dublin football team or county board and is, in our opinion, detrimental to the objectives and activities of the GAA as a whole.
"We would like to state our unequivocal support for Jason Sherlock and compliment him for the dignified manner in which he has conducted himself throughout this whole sorry affair. We feel and believe that Jason has been fully vindicated by the findings of the investigating committee and would like to reiterate on behalf of the players and management our total support for him.
"And finally it is our desire that the whole matter be resolved promptly and satisfactorily and that the players be allowed to continue with preparations for the championship without any further disruption or controversy."
Earlier in the day, Delaney's club Round Towers had released, through spokesperson Brenda Cahill, a statement, not surprisingly in support of their colleague: "Round Towers GAA club is proud of the achievements of Paddy Delaney as a player, mentor and administrator. He has given a lifetime of voluntary devotion to Round Towers, Dublin GAA and the Association in general.
"With reference to the recent allegations, he has at all times maintained his innocence and placed his trust in the existing procedures of the Association. He chose the proper forum to defend his good name and he purposely abstained from talking to the media on this issue.
"At the county committee meeting on May 12th, the Management Committee's recommendations were put to the floor and after a lengthy debate, the majority of delegates voted against it. While there are some members of the county board who are dissatisfied with this decision, they must realise that it was taken democratically under the rules as they stand."
Meanwhile Dublin's hurling selectors have left two vacant positions in the full forward line for Sunday's Leinster championship meeting in Mullingar.
Eamonn Morrissey is still suffering from a groin injury and will undergo a fitness test tomorrow morning. Should he fail, his place at corner forward will be taken by Connie Ring. The other place will be filled by Damien Hernon if Colin Featherstone doesn't recover from a wrist injury.
Offaly's hurlers will include four championship debutants in their line-up to face Meath at Mullingar on Sunday. Colm Cassidy lines out at centre back, Ger Oakley plays at centrefield, Paudic Mulhare plays at centre forward while Killian Farell plays at wing forward. Johnny Dooley, injured last Sunday in the league game against Laois, has been named in the team.
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