Clubs wait on ruling over brawl

GAA NEWS:CLUB OFFICIALS from both Derrytresk and Dromid Pearses are now braced for the proposed suspensions and potential fines arising from the mass brawl that marred their All-Ireland junior club football semi-final in Portlaoise last Sunday week.

Both clubs were asked to confirm the identity of certain individuals deemed to be responsible for the brawl when summoned to a meeting of the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC)in Portlaoise on Monday night – part of the ongoing investigation that has also included the committee’s review of two separate pieces of video evidence last Thursday, plus the report of match referee Francis Flynn from Leitrim.

The GAA have continued to refrain from commenting on the likely outcome of the investigation, and how quickly the proposed suspensions will be known, beyond saying their “only priority is to ensure this is investigated properly”.

Derrytresk are still due to face Clonbur of Galway in the All-Ireland junior football final on Sunday week in Croke Park, a fixture that was already confirmed by the GAA – and it seems likely they will be down at least a few replacements given the fracas that developed before half-time saw a number of the club’s substitutes collectively jump on to the pitch to get involved in an altercation.

A spokesperson for Dromid Pearses last night suggested that it could be “a few more days” before the proposed suspensions are known.

Meanwhile, the CCC of the Leinster Council have decided against any further disciplinary action against Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly arising from an incident in the O’Byrne Cup semi-final against Kildare last month, meaning Connolly is now free to start for Dublin in their Allianz League opener against Kerry in Croke Park on Saturday evening.

However, the Seánie Johnston transfer saga will rumble on, as his case for an intercounty transfer from Cavan to Kildare will now go to Central Council next week, after Cavan’s management committee elected not to support his application for fear they may break Rule 6.9 – which relates to the “permanent residence” of the player seeking the transfer, with Cavan questioning whether Johnston is in fact living in Kildare.

The question now is whether or not Johnston resides permanently in Straffan, as his application states, and Central Council will thus seek definite proof of that residency. In the meantime the St Kevin’s club in Kildare to which Johnston wishes to transfer remains committed to his request.

Finally, in celebration of the centenary of the Fitzgibbon Cup competition, a committee appointed by GAA’s Higher Education committee has announced Fitzgibbon Cup Team of the Century. The following team was selected from a shortlist of 75 names released previously to reflect as broadly as possible a representation of the participants over the 100-year period:

FITZGIBBON CUP TEAM OF THE CENTURY: 1. Tommy Daly (UCD An Clár/Baile Átha Cliath), 1915-27; 2. Séamus Hickey (UL Luimneach), 2007-11; 3. Niall McInerney (UCG An Clár/Gaillimh), 1970-77; 4. John Grainger (UCC Corcaigh), 1983-87; 5. Seán Silke (Maynooth Gaillimh), 1973-76; 6. Ted Carroll (UCD Cill Chainnigh), 1958-62; 7. Éamonn Corcoran (WIT Tiobraid Árann), 1998-2000; 8. Paul O'Connor (UCC Corcaigh), 1982-86; 9. Jim Hurley (UCC Corcaigh), 1925-31; 10. Henry Downey (QUB Doire), 1986-89; 11. John O'Halloran (UCC Corcaigh), 1961-69; 12. Pat Henchy (UCC/UCD An Clár), 1957-64; 13. Nicholas English (UCC Tiobraid Árann), 1981-85; 14. Joe Canning (LIT Gaillimh), 2007-; 15. Henry Shefflin (WIT Cill Chainnigh), 1998-2002.

The Centenary Fitzgibbon Cup Competition begins this evening with UCC hosting DCU in the Mardyke at 7pm, while there are three further fixtures tomorrow with UL playing LIT in UL at 2pm being the pick of the opening round ties.