THE saga of Kerry's unauthorised footballers in last month's New York a final replay as far as the county is concerned. Already one player has been cleared to play for his, club and there is believed to be sympathy for the idea of granting an amnesty to the others.

Last weekend's Central Council meeting at Croke Park considered the matter at an in camera session and heard an eloquent plea from Kerry's delegate, Ger McKenna, on behalf of the four players, Dara and Fergal O Se, Dara O Cinneide of the Gaeltacht club and Dingle's Sean Geaney.

Geaney, it was argued, had made a simple mistake, played several times in New York and had always secured authorisation.

His position was, in the words of Kerry county secretary Tony O'Keeffe, "regularised", and he played for his club last Sunday. The Dingle forward had obtained authorisation to play in the drawn final in New York and stayed on for the replay.

This was viewed as a "technical" infringement. The argument that new authorisation was needed is rendered slightly anomalous by the point that, in the event of a match going to extra time, further authorisation should, strictly speaking, also be required, as extra time constitutes a new match.

The fate of the players isn't entirely academic even at the moment. This coming Sunday, the West Kerry final is scheduled to take place between Gaeltacht and Dingle. With Geaney now back in action for Dingle, but the Gaeltacht players in limbo, the idea of postponing the final is being mooted.

The controversy takes a break for Christmas with the Games Administration Committee due to consider the matter on January 8th. Complicating their deliberations is the reticence of northern counties to come forward on the matter.

Whereas Kerry's county board and players voluntarily came forward for investigation as soon as word of the final began to leak out, there have been no official moves in Donegal, Cavan or Armagh, all of whom have players implicated in the matter. The counties' team managers have, however, decided not to select any player over whom a question mark hovers - for fear of exacerbating any disciplinary measures that may be taken.

Given Kerry's swift admission of, a problem, there is a possibility that although the punishment is six months - and based on fairly strict liability - suspensions handed down to the three Gaeltacht players may be waived on the basis of a once off amnesty before Croke Park lays down the law on temporary transfers to New York.

Any other players surrendering themselves before January 8th might expect similar leniency, but offences uncovered thereafter would be subject to the full rigour of the rule book.

Meanwhile the fallout from violent incidents at the end of the weekend's Ulster club football final replay will be considered at next Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Council. Armagh champions Crossmaglen beat their Derry counterparts Bellaghy with a goal and a point in injury time.

After the insurance point had been kicked, an ugly brawl broke out involving around a dozen players. In the midst of the melee, Crossmaglen's manager Joe Kernan came on to the pitch to intervene and was struck - and plainly seen on television to have been struck - by a Bellaghy defender.

The Ulster provincial secretary, Mickey Feeney, reacted. "We deplore any incident of that nature and, will be considering it at our next meeting on Saturday when we see the referee's report. What the (tv) camera saw was from a different angle to me. But it's a pity, it was a powerful, good match. Afterwards, the players shook hands."

The Ulster Council will consider not only the referee's report (from All Ireland final official Pat McEnaney), but also video evidence. The council video tapes its matches and has availed of such evidence frequently throughout the 1990s.

"Again it was filmed from a different angle to the television pictures," said Feeney. "In the past we have tended to use video evidence to support the referee's report but it will be considered in full."

. Tipperary's hurling selectors have delayed until later in the week naming a team for Sunday's South East League final against Kilkenny in Waterford. Michael Ryan has a groin injury whereas Colm Bonner and Raymie Ryan have foot and knee injuries, respectively.

. Dublin players Charlie Redmond and Eamonn Heery have been given one month suspensions for being sent off in recent league matches. Heery was sent to the line in Castlebar on November 10th, during a Division Two meeting with Mayo, whereas Redmond suffered a similar fate early in the following match against Clare, a fortnight later.