Cork leave out banned trio

GAELIC GAMES:The Cork-Clare disciplinary saga took another twist last night when Cork announced their team for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Waterford - and excluded the three players landed with suspensions for their role in the pre-match brawl in Thurles on May 27th.

However, it is still possible the saga will drag on for another couple of days as both counties have yet to confirm whether they'll avail of the Central Appeals Committee (CAC). Clare were more adamant they'd pursue that route, whereas Cork refused to make their intentions known, suggesting an appeal at this stage is more unlikely.

"We won't be making any comment of any kind," said Cork county press officer Bob Ryan last night, "nor will we be until the whole matter is completed".

Ryan refused to say if this meant Cork would or wouldn't be pursuing the appeal process and instead bluntly added he "wouldn't be taking any more calls on the matter".

While the exact course and grounds of any potential appeal is still somewhat unclear, what is known is that neither Cork nor Clare were happy with the outcome of the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), which earlier yesterday announced that three of the four Cork players proposed for suspension - Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Dónal Óg Cusack - would face four-week bans, and so too would all four of the Clare players - Barry Nugent, Alan Markham, Andrew Quinn and Colin Lynch.

Cork manager Gerald McCarthy had earlier said he was "very disappointed" at the outcome of the CHC, but last night went ahead and named his team without Ó hAilpín, O'Sullivan and Cusack.

The three players who come in as their replacements are Anthony Nash in goal, Shane O'Neill in the full back line (with Cian O'Connor at full back) and Kevin Hartnett at left half back. All three have been members of the panel for the past year.

Clare county chairman Michael McDonagh had earlier confirmed they would appeal "at all costs" - even going as far as to suggest they could withdraw from the championship over the treatment of their players - but when pressed on the matter last night said they had yet to come to a definite agreement.

Cork's John Gardiner was the only player to escape the suspensions originally proposed by the Competitions Control Committee. No official explanation was given for Gardiner's suspension not being imposed.

The urgency of Cork's potential appeal is obviously far greater as they are out on Sunday.

Clare aren't playing again until June 30th when they meet Antrim in the first round of the qualifiers, but their four players are still in line to miss out as the suspensions include the next game in the competition, even if that game falls outside the suspension time period.

In making their announcement of the suspensions the CHC also noted that the four-week ban was the minimum provided for in Rule 143 for the relevant infractions (striking with a hurl with minimal force and contributing to a melee on or in the vicinity of the field of play immediately before, during or after a game). Striking with force gets eight weeks.

The appeals of both counties - which will include an appeal against the fines handed to the respective county boards - are expected to go before the CAC either this evening or tomorrow. While the CAC won't be making any definite plans to meet until they receive official word of the appeals they have been on standby, and, according to the GAA, in a position to assemble within 12 hours.

Both the Cork and Clare county boards were hit with a €5,000 fine as a result of the conduct of their players, with Cork hit with an additional €2,500 fine for failing to comply with instructions issued by Munster Council on the day - which in this instance was leaving their dressingroom and entering the field three minutes ahead of their appointed time, and which suggests they carry a bit more of the blame.

That perhaps is also why Clare are so intent on appealing the suspensions, with McDonagh yesterday claiming there was no need for any hearing in the first place: "As far as I'm concerned the matter was dealt with on the day, when following the incident the referee clearly spoke with both captains before the game started.

"If you look at the disciplinary regulations and all the matches that were played that particular weekend you will have seen that in other high-profile games there were melees also and the referee dealt with them and there was no problem as a result and consequently no action was taken.

"So there seems to be one rule for one and one rule for another and we ended up getting four players suspended.

"I'm not saying that's going to be the basis of our appeal, but it is my opinion."

McDonagh went on to say: "There is a strong opinion among the grassroots general public in Clare who have said that why should we take part in something when we do not seem to be getting a fair crack of the whip compared to other incidents that happened the same weekend."

In another twist to the whole saga, the CAC is currently chaired by Cork's Jim Forbes, who will have to step aside if the cases are heard, as will Tom Downes of Clare.

In all appeals to the CAC, representatives of all parties to the previous hearing(s) shall have the right to participate in an appeal hearing.

The full CAC is: Jim Forbes (Cork); Mick Spain (Offaly), Kieran McDermott (Sligo), Tom Downes (Clare), Harry Gribben (Derry), Michael Curley (Galway), John Greene (Longford); Pat Flynn (Waterford), Martin McAvinney (Monaghan), Tony Jordan (Dublin, secretary).

CORK (SH v Waterford): A Nash; B Murphy, C O'Connor, S O'Neill; J Gardiner, R Curran; K Hartnett; J O'Connor, T Kenny; K Murphy (Erin's Own) capt, N McCarthy, P Cronin; B O'Connor, K Murphy (Sarsfields), J Deane.