Laois issue long bans

The Laois County Board have again been forced to adopt a stern disciplinary stance arising from incidents during and after club championship matches. The latest heavy suspension is 96 weeks for Graiguecullen player Seán Doogue.

Referee Vinnie Dowling reported Doogue for striking a player in the car park after the junior championship quarter-final against Killeshin in July.

Another Graiguecullen player, Joe Nolan, who suffered a broken jaw in the fight, received a 12-week suspension, while Killeshin's Eddie Brennan was suspended for a four weeks. The row was sparked by a brawl that occurred towards the end of the game.

Graiguecullen had been asked to name another person that allegedly attacked a Killeshin player, but the county board have since dropped this request. The club were issued a stern warning as to their future conduct.

These are merely the latest sanctions to be handed out by the Laois County Board. Another 24-week ban was meted down earlier this month to Pat Hennessy from Kyle, after an altercation with an opposition player while on linesman duties, while Clonad hurler Enda Norton faces a disciplinary hearing following an off-the-ball incident.

Doogue, who was a spectator at the Killeshin game, was already serving 24 weeks for assaulting linesman Rowan Headon, who is also chairman of the Timahoe club, after the fixture between Graiguecullen and Ballylinan on May 14th.

That incident also involved Seán Doogue's brother Danny, who received 48 weeks, but after appealing the case to the central Disputes Resolution Authority the Laois County Board were instructed to re-examine the matter. This is continuing. Danny Doogue was a member of the 1996 All-Ireland-winning minor team.

Danny Doogue was found to have contravened Rule 142 (category A) of the GAA official guide, while Seán Doogue was initially found guilty under Rule 142, Section Three part ii, which is a lesser penalty for a "minor physical interference".

Graiguecullen were fined €1,000 under Rule 144, bringing the game into disrepute, but the club avoided disqualification from the Laois football championship.

Danny Doogue had previously received a 20-year suspension from the Carlow district soccer league for assaulting a referee last season, while playing for St Patrick's of Carlow.

Last November, the county senior hurling championship final between Castletown and Camross resulted in a total of 216 weeks of suspensions.

Castletown goalkeeper Ger Cuddy received 96 weeks. Castletown's Brendan Cuddy and Camross's Tommy Delaney received 48 weeks each. Fifteen-year-old Dean Delaney, who was taken to hospital with injuries sustained during the game, got a 24-week ban.

Meanwhile, Laois County Board secretary Niall Handy yesterday denied any approach had been made to former Derry manager and Dublin footballer Brian Mullins. A shortlist of names for the vacant football manager's job will be compiled next week.