Disciplinary decisions: As if the last round of the National Football League wasn't intriguing enough the GAA's Games Administration Committee has added a further edge by deferring a final resolution to the long-running controversy surrounding the Kildare-Sligo game of February 9th. Any decision to replay the game will be made after Sunday's round of matches, where Kildare and Sligo still face a relegation battle.

Although Kildare originally beat Sligo, they subsequently lost the two points for failing to provide a proper team sheet to the match referee. At the time the GAC had no option but to award the points to Sligo as Kildare had clearly breached Rule 109 (b), the penalty for which is forfeiture of the game.

Kildare later appealed the decision to the GAA's Management Committee, requesting some leniency in that they would likely be relegated from Division One B as a result of the deducted points.

Kildare remain bottom of the table with just two points from six games, two points below Sligo (with four points). Down are the only other team in the relegation battle with three points from their six games.

It was then announced that Sligo had offered Kildare a replay. So Management Committee agreed last weekend that while the GAC had taken the only option open to them under rule, they could now decided whether to fix a replay.

At their meeting on Wednesday night, however, the GAC decided to wait until after Sunday's games before making that decision - mainly because so many permutations remain in deciding which two teams will make the dreaded drop to Division Two B.

In addition the Down County Board had submitted a letter expressing their concern that a decision to fix a replay before Sunday's games could also have a bearing on their survival. It means all three games involving Kildare, Sligo and Down will have an influence on the two relegation places.

Kildare are away to Laois on Sunday, and can avoid relegation if they win and provided Sligo (away to Cavan) and Down (at home to Meath) both lose.

But points difference would also be a factor. It would mean Kildare and Sligo both end on four points and currently Kildare's marginally better points' difference (-6 to -10) would see them survive. And there could be further implications if Down draw with Meath, a result which would also leave Down on four points.

The bottom line was that the GAC felt it only right to make a decision on a replay provided it had a crucial bearing on the relegation battle, the truth of which will only be known on Sunday evening.

The GAC will meet again next Wednesday, and yesterday officials from the Kildare and Sligo county boards accepted it was the right decision not to fix a replay for the time being.

"Well obviously we'll just have to go along with that decision and see what happens on Sunday," said Kildare county secretary Richie Whelan.

Sligo county chairman Joe Queenan also agreed it was the right decision.

"We can wait now until after Sunday," he said, "and we do accept the GAC was right not to fix a replay just yet."

The GAC also announced several suspensions yesterday following their investigations on Wednesday night. Hurlers Ken McGrath of Waterford and Diarmuid Cloonan of Galway escaped with four-week bans following straight red cards for their on-pitch confrontation during the National Hurling League game of March 23rd at Pearse Stadium.

The Waterford County Board had presented video evidence of the incident to the GAC, fearful McGrath would be found guilty of striking with the hurley rather than dangerous play. The penalty for a strike is 12 weeks, which would have ruled McGrath out of Waterford's Munster championship opener against Kerry on May 11th, and the semi-final - should they progress - against Limerick on June 1st.

The Mount Sion player had been adamant he wasn't guilty of striking, and the four-week ban will allow himself and Cloonan back into the action for the final round of the hurling league on April 27th.

Four-week suspensions were also handed down to Darren Stamp of Wexford (sent off against Tipperary on March 16th) and Charlie McKenna of Meath (sent off against Longford on March 22nd). Louth's Paul Sharkey (red-carded against Fermanagh on March 2nd) and Kerry's Paul McCarthy (red-carded against Meath on March 16th) were suspended for 12 weeks from the date of those games.

In football, Seán Davey (Sligo), Mark Stanfield (Louth) and Colm Foody (London) were each suspended for four weeks following round six of the National Football League on March 22-23rd, with London's Martin Donaghy getting 12 weeks for seeing red against Leitrim on March 23rd.