Hearing requested over six-week ban

GAELIC GAMES/RYAN McMENAMIN SUSPENSION AND LEINSTER COUNCIL REPORT:TYRONE'S ALL Star defender Ryan McMenamin has requested a personal hearing as to why the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) proposed a six-week suspension arising from an incident in the National Football League game against Kerry last Sunday week.

McMenamin was informed on Friday he was being reported for a category II offence, which carries a minimum four-week suspension, after the CCCC examined video evidence of the incident in question – which took place in the 17th minute when McMenamin was seen to grab Kerry’s Paul Galvin in the groin area.

The request for a hearing was inevitable once it became clear that the difference between a four-week and six-week suspension is the difference between McMenamin missing just the next game in the National League, and missing the next four.

McMenamin consulted with county secretary Dominic McCaughey and Tyrone manager Mickey Harte and it was decided they would request the hearing with the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), which is now set to take place this week.

According to McCaughey this was “based on the severity of the sentence”. In other words, Tyrone wouldn’t necessarily be appealing the suspension itself, but would be at least looking to get it reduced.

“The only information that we received was that it was a category II offence,” explained Tyrone county press officer Damian Harvey. “We were expecting that if they were going to propose a suspension then it would be four weeks. So it’s slightly vague in that regard.”

According to the GAA’s Official Guide, a category II infraction covers a range of offences, including “abusive language towards a referee, umpire, linesman or sideline official”; “striking or attempting to strike with arm, hand, or knee”; “behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent”; and “spitting at an opponent”.

The minimum penalty is four weeks, and if that had been proposed, McMenamin would only miss Tyrone’s next game in the league, against Galway, on Saturday, March 7th. However, a six-week suspension (which would run until midnight, Saturday, March 28th) would see him miss a further three games – against Westmeath on March 15th, against Donegal on March 21st, and against Derry, which takes place earlier on the Saturday evening of March 28th.

The proposed sentence is based on video footage. Jimmy White, the match referee from Donegal, didn’t appear to notice the incident in question; because the only action taken was to issue a black-book ticking to Galvin for feigning injury.

In these circumstances the procedure is the CCCC decide whether to seek the referee’s clarification in relation to the incident. He can reply he saw what happened and decided it didn’t merit any action on his part or he can accept he didn’t see it and allow the committee to process the matter further.

After establishing the latter, the CCCC were free to investigate. However, Wicklow’s Jimmy Dunne, chair of the CCCC, was on holiday last week, and it was Tipperary’s Michael O’Brien, the deputy chair, who circulated video footage of the incident to other committee members. It is believed the committee discussed by telephone the proposal of an appropriate suspension.

The incident shows Galvin being pulled up on a solo run, and as he turns to walk back with the ball, McMenamin runs into the picture and pushes the Kerryman, who drops the ball. McMenamin then pats Galvin’s chest with his right hand before using the same hand to grab at his opponent’s groin. Galvin is seen to wince and sink to his knees before getting up, whereupon he is ticked by White.

Precedent for an offence of this nature goes back to the summer of 2006 when Donegal defender Paddy Campbell was handed a four-week suspension on the basis of video evidence showing him fouling Derry player Enda Muldoon, who retaliated with a punch of his own which earned him a red card and a subsequent month-long ban.