County Champions and Ulster Finallists Ballinderry Thrown out of Championship

[screenexile]

It's a very hot topic over on the Derry thread but I think it's a much bigger issue since Ballinderry have been thrown out of the Championship which is why I'm putting it on here. For the record I don't think they should be thrown out and I'm not trying to stir the pot but I would be interested to hear of other incidents throughout the Country and how they have been dealt with. Also nobody on the Derry thread seems to know the rules on this sort of scenario so maybe some could help out with that side of things.

Anyway I don't want this to turn into a Derry/Monaghan/Tyrone/Armagh hatefest which has dropped the board into the depths of despair this last few months so if it does I will pull the thread.

Anyway here's how the story goes

from bbc.co.uk


Conway has eight-week ban lifted
James Conway
James Conway was suspended pending an investigation

Derry footballer James Conway is free to play for his county again after having an eight-week suspension lifted.

Conway had initially been banned for two months pending an investigation into an incident during a club game.

James Kielt, another county player, was left with a broken jaw after the off-the-ball incident during the 7 June game between Kilrea and Ballinderry.

The referee did not see the incident and Ballinderry were unable to provide a name after their own investigation.

The Derry club champions had been ordered to identify which of their players was involved.

At an appeals meeting on Tuesday night, the Derry county board was forced to conclude that in the absence of solid evidence, either from the referee's report or from the Ballinderry club, no ban could be imposed on Conway.

The player had been dropped from the county panel by manager Damian Cassidy following the incident but is now available for Derry's All-Ireland round two qualifier on 11 July, if selected.

The Ballinderry club was initially hit hard by the Derry county board over the incident, with two officials given six-month suspensions for its failure to co-operate in supplying the name of the player responsible for the incident with Kielt.

The club was also banned from all adult league competition for six months but this has now been reduced to three, although the county champions have now been banned from this year's Derry SFC as part of their sanction.




Any thoughts?

[OverThePostsAWide]

Proper order. Someone should be held to account for the breaking of a man's jaw on the field of play. If not the person who struck, then the club who won't give him up.

Whoever struck Kielt should do the proper "manly" thing and own up instead of hiding behind his club and bringing it into disrepute.

[amigo]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/tensions-in-the-derry-air-1782375.html

Good article in the independent gives a broader perspective on the saga !!

[bingobus]

Is it the case that only cause it was a derry senior panelist that was injured and Cassidy forced the issue of the county players should respect each other when on club duty?

Its a very dangerous precedent to be setting and I don't recall any similar issues in Monaghan. There is always off the ball incidents and if caught a player should have the book thrown at them. But with no witnesses I don't believe in asking a club to name a player. The player may decide to be a man and take his punishment and thats fair enough.

If its the case that the game wasn't correctly manned with linesman and umpires then the county board should be asking themselves why wasn't it and if they are doing all they can to prevent such incidents. I know its a hard job to have a full line out at all matches but its a weakness that allows such events to occur.

In Monaghan its been a case of Refs letting county players off on the field and in recent weeks one county player avoided a card for a thump he dished out that was spotted and free given against him but he didn't even get a second yellow and another county player who pushed a linesman (he is a referee but was doing the line for his club in a club match) and started a melee but only received a yellow from ref.

Its over the top punishment and if it was imposed in every off the ball incident in club matches, even county matches, then we'd be very short on teams by the end of the year and thats unfortunate.

We need officials to spot these aggressors and then make examples of the individuals.

[screenexile]

At Derry league games we have one neutral official in the referee. Apart from that you have opposing supporters doing umpire at each end and usually a member of each club's management team doing the line. Not ideal to say the least but there is such a dearth of officials everywhere that it's the only way the system will work at all.

[JMohan]

Hang on a second ... plenty of things are done in games and no one is asked to own up to it.

Who are the CB to ask someone to own up?
What kind of justice system is that?
What happened before that?
Did Keilt hit someone himself first?
Are you absolutely sure it was Conway?
Since when did a hairline fracture amount to a broken jaw?

All those are legitimate questions ... I'm not defending Conway (I can only presume it was him) - I'm just pointing out that there is a process.

Also - Cassidy was wrong to drop him. Wrong on two counts
1. He left his team weaker (esp. at midfield) for the Championship
2. But worst of all - He judged Conway before due process. He basically was the one who highlighted to the country Conway was suspect number 1. There is NO WAY Conways name could have been legally mentioned in a paper except for the fact that Cassidy named him.

Again, I wasn't there and don't know what happened but Conway at least has said nothing and is entitled to his side of the story.

And yes .. Cassidy is entitled to pick his own panel - but his Number 1 job was to beat Tyrone - did he not think he was weakened enough?

As for Derry County Board. Well we'd have no grants if they had their way and they've not covered themselves in glory with much that I can recall since 1993, being at the back of most of Derry's more infamous disputes.

Ballinderry should ignore the CB - They're some crowd of clowns - how can you punish someone for not seeing something? I'm sure the chairman was there and watching, but it's not his job to highlight players or do the referees job for them. After all McCloy didn't suspend the Slaughtneil Chairman when they threw water on him last year fro not bringing the boys down to the house to hand themselves in did he?
He should keep his mouth shut too - "Unusually for a county chairman, McCloy has been outspoken and unequivocal on the Conway-Kielt matter. After Conway's removal from the county squad, he stated memorably: "Somebody can't just break somebody else's jaw and then expect to come into the dressing room and say, 'right boys, tea and scones for everyone'."" Now it's become clear he had no proof Conway did 'break his jaw' - complete muppet.

As for Keilt - well what was he doing giving interviews on TV for? Hardly someone who was in alot of pain.
I'm sure he has some bruising and 'some' pain, but I see he's in the papers again talking about it. Why is no one asking Conway what happened?  
Why is he in the papers giving interviews? He's done more talking with it since the 'box' than before it - did the doctors not tell him to rest it?

Ballinderry are entitled to a fair hearing
Keilt or anybody is entitled to protection on the field - providing they have manners. If they don't then it's their own fault.
Conway or whoever (Player X) is entitled to fair justice too.

Like I said I don't mind fairness and boys being punished - but all in accordance with whatever rules are laid out. Not some kangaroo court and not with Sheriff Cassidy and Cool Hand Judge McCloy presiding.


Rant ended ... lol

[screenexile]

What's Kielt talking to the media got to do with anything? From what I've seen/read he has handled the situation maturely and given very little comment on it having been put under a lot of pressure from a lot of media outlets I would imagine. He is not the one under investigation so why should he do anything differently?

[DennistheMenace]

And every player should have protection on the pitch, Kielt is hardly known for not having 'manners'.. 

[JMohan]

What's Kielt talking to the media got to do with anything? From what I've seen/read he has handled the situation maturely and given very little comment on it having been put under a lot of pressure from a lot of media outlets I would imagine. He is not the one under investigation so why should he do anything differently?

I take your point - but wouldn't you think saying nothing would be best? (Even the lad that McCartan hit years ago kept quiet until and after the whole thing was over.)
Who is sure Conway wasn't provoked? As someone said earlier - I've never heard of a lad getting box for doing nothing. Sure - lads get a dig to the ribs unprovoked - but never a box in the face for nothing in my experience.
Conway's not doing interviews.

[JMohan]

By the way - don't get me wrong. If a player walked out cold and boxed him in the face for no good/bad reason then I've no problem - throw the book at him - But in a proper fair way, not a kangaroo court.

[Sandy Hill]

Did James Kielt not name his attacker?

[DennistheMenace]

Did James Kielt not name his attacker?

Not sure, apparently it was a punch from behind so not sure if he would have seen it.

[tyrone exile]

Did James Kielt not name his attacker?

Not sure, apparently it was a punch from behind so not sure if he would have seen it.

he named him on bebo anyway 

[JMohan]

Did James Kielt not name his attacker?

Not sure, apparently it was a punch from behind so not sure if he would have seen it.

he named him on bebo anyway 

Seriously? lol! Sign of the times! 

[tyrone exile]

Did James Kielt not name his attacker?

Not sure, apparently it was a punch from behind so not sure if he would have seen it.

he named him on bebo anyway 

Seriously? lol! Sign of the times! 

Its tara! suprised the Irish news didnt pick up on it.