Delaney statement does not end affair

THE Jason Sherlock Paddy Delaney affair took another turn at the weekend when Delaney, the county vice chairman whose recommended suspension for spitting at Sherlock was controversially rejected by the county committee last week, volunteered to accept the two month ban suggested by the investigating committee.

A statement issued by Delaney on Saturday cited a number of reasons for his announcement, but it still leaves several issues unresolved. It read:

"I, Paddy Delaney, have decided to accept the management committee's recommendation for the following reasons:

- to save my wife, my family, and my club from any further upset,

- for the good of Dublin GAA both on and off the field,

- to prevent any possible internal disputes between clubs and their delegates,

- to avoid any distractions for players and management in their preparation for the championship.

I would like to express my appreciation to people from all over the country who gave their strong support to me during this difficult time.

My loyalty to Dublin GAA will be as steadfast in the future as it has always been."

The most obvious procedural lacuna is that, at the moment, Delaney has no suspension to serve, as the punishment wasn't imposed last Monday, a decision at the heart of the chaos that has engulfed the Dublin GAA in the days since.

Consequently, the proposed extraordinary meeting scheduled for tomorrow must go ahead. A motion will be proposed to rescind last week's decision, leaving the county board free to reconsider the suspension.

In response to Delaney's statement, county secretary John Costello said: "The meeting on Tuesday night will consider recent events. As no suspension is in force at present, the situation has to be regularised."

It remains to be seen whether Delaney's concession is too little, too late. There is a strong body of opinion in the county that the events of the last seven days have compounded the original offence with which he was charged.