More Thuggery on the GAA field

[Sandino]

Well what can one say about these bans. I have not commented on this skirmish at all so here goes.
I like just about every poster here have no issue about the subs being banned for entering the field of play. I am also prepared to accept the players being banned based on possibility of evidence from another video which the CCCC may have seen.
I do have reservations about the balance and fairness of this outcome. Let's be clear, the punishment is severe because of the actions of the subs and partly because of the Dromid team's reaction in the media. I have watched the video many times and there is a lot of pushing and pulling but very few punches.  In my opinion the punishment is also sever because this is a small rural club with very little clout at either county or national level.
We have seen in the past how the GAA have ignored their own rules when it suited them and my main issue is how will the GAA move on from this? What will happen when two senior clubs or counties have melee in the middle of a televised game and loads of punches are thrown? How many players will we see banned? This also will put to an end the old argument about banning players after a semi-final, because from now on let there be no exceptions to banned players being able by any means to play in a final, or letting the fact that they are missing the biggest game of their live sway decisions.
If Dromid and Derrytresk are the turning point I'm sure they would accept the consequences of their actions and move on. However, only time will tell if Derrytresk players are to be made scapegoats, to appease a rampant media driven by some elements in the GAA its self or if this is justice being done. The next outbreak of violence will tell the tail.

[Hardy]

Apologies Hardy.

Good God! I hope you'll be yourself again soon.

[blewuporstuffed]

Like i said earlier, if the rule change about only blowing the final whistle when the ball was out of play was kept then there could be no issue here.

[Lone Shark]

Like i said earlier, if the rule change about only blowing the final whistle when the ball was out of play was kept then there could be no issue here.

There was no issue here, other than how the Ranch lads reacted. The ref blew the final whistle when the 45m kick was in the air, once it was clear that it wasn't going to come close to going over the bar, which appears to be exactly what he told the kicker he was going to do. How can this be an issue?

[AZOffaly]

I suppose if the rest of the players didn't realise this, it would have caused a bit of anger.

[ballymac]

If Dromid and Derrytresk are the turning point I'm sure they would accept the consequences of their actions and move on. However, only time will tell if Derrytresk players are to be made scapegoats, to appease a rampant media driven by some elements in the GAA its self or if this is justice being done. The next outbreak of violence will tell the tail.

Not so sure, but agree totally with your original post. Will we have a problem with Crokes and Cross?

[Orchardman]

(Northern) Lads, ye were all posting here about Dromid not taking their beating, that they were whinging and making a scene.
Seems fairly hypocritical now when you are all up in arms whinging about the suspensions that have been handed down to Derrytresk. Suck it up.

Does this make any sense? u trying to say taking a beating in the meeting room is the same as on the pitch? wise up
By the way, i hope if the lads that deserved it, got it, and would hate too see anyone get off on a technicality. But if a man is done in the wrong, then that's a different story.

Have the lads not being named yet who got the bans? who are the 4 starters?

[blewuporstuffed]

Like i said earlier, if the rule change about only blowing the final whistle when the ball was out of play was kept then there could be no issue here.

There was no issue here, other than how the Ranch lads reacted. The ref blew the final whistle when the 45m kick was in the air, once it was clear that it wasn't going to come close to going over the bar, which appears to be exactly what he told the kicker he was going to do. How can this be an issue?

I just feel that a referee shouldnt be able to blow the full time /half time whistle with the ball dropping into the square.
The ball having to be dead, would make the issue black and white, with no room for complaints from anyone

[Onion Bag]

For those who reckon that these fines and bans were too much for the clubs involved, what would they suggest?

i actually think they got off lightly, gaa is now all over you tube in the wrong light, the whole world is watching it, so anything that will attempt to deter people can only be a good thing.

[Lone Shark]

Like i said earlier, if the rule change about only blowing the final whistle when the ball was out of play was kept then there could be no issue here.

There was no issue here, other than how the Ranch lads reacted. The ref blew the final whistle when the 45m kick was in the air, once it was clear that it wasn't going to come close to going over the bar, which appears to be exactly what he told the kicker he was going to do. How can this be an issue?

I just feel that a referee shouldnt be able to blow the full time /half time whistle with the ball dropping into the square.
The ball having to be dead, would make the issue black and white, with no room for complaints from anyone

Maybe so, but it's purely hypothetical and in no way justifies the St Marys reaction here. There would be other problems with that rule and maybe if it was in place, we'd be talking about teams scoring eight minutes into injury time after taking six minutes to move the ball from one end of the field to the other. God knows it looked like that's what Marys were at for spells yesterday.

[thewobbler]

Onion Bag, that's the nail on the head.

I would like to see one proposal for punishment from Derrytresk's point of view that they would consider appropriate. And I'd like them to explain why it is appropriate.

[blewuporstuffed]

Like i said earlier, if the rule change about only blowing the final whistle when the ball was out of play was kept then there could be no issue here.

There was no issue here, other than how the Ranch lads reacted. The ref blew the final whistle when the 45m kick was in the air, once it was clear that it wasn't going to come close to going over the bar, which appears to be exactly what he told the kicker he was going to do. How can this be an issue?

I just feel that a referee shouldnt be able to blow the full time /half time whistle with the ball dropping into the square.
The ball having to be dead, would make the issue black and white, with no room for complaints from anyone

Maybe so, but it's purely hypothetical and in no way justifies the St Marys reaction here. There would be other problems with that rule and maybe if it was in place, we'd be talking about teams scoring eight minutes into injury time after taking six minutes to move the ball from one end of the field to the other. God knows it looked like that's what Marys were at for spells yesterday.

i am in no way trying to justiy the St. Marys reaction. I suppose the point i am making is a wee bit off topic, I just feel it works well in rugby. if they can keep the ball for 8 minutes, then fair play to them!The oppostion would know what is required for the game to finish, force them into shooting, or turn them over and kick the ball out of play.

[BennyHarp]

For those who reckon that these fines and bans were too much for the clubs involved, what would they suggest?

i actually think they got off lightly, gaa is now all over you tube in the wrong light, the whole world is watching it, so anything that will attempt to deter people can only be a good thing.

Who released the video into the public domain? Shouldnt they get some sort of ban for bringing the game into disrepute? The reason why this story has become such a media junket is because of the ill grace of the team that lost the game. There are many examples of worse behaviour than what happened that day which have led to less or no suspensions and until the GAA has a consistent approach to these incidents they will continue to happen. Slapping a few suspensions willy nilly on a small club on the cusp of an all ireland final is not going to deter anyone in the future. Good luck to Derrytresk in the final - hope they can pull it off against all the odds!

[thewobbler]

BennyHarp, you're off your head.

The reason why this story has become a "media junket" is because recorded evidence exists and therefore hearsay and opinion are not relevant; the facts are in front of us. The reason why the punishments were handed out is because recorded evidence exists, and the GAA had a rare opportunity to act upon mass unruly behaviour.

Do what you like in any sport if that's how you like to play it - but just don't get caught. Derrytresk got caught, and that's the bottom line.

Paranoia is rife in our sport.

[Lone Shark]

Who released the video into the public domain? Shouldnt they get some sort of ban for bringing the game into disrepute? The reason why this story has become such a media junket is because of the ill grace of the team that lost the game. There are many examples of worse behaviour than what happened that day which have led to less or no suspensions and until the GAA has a consistent approach to these incidents they will continue to happen. Slapping a few suspensions willy nilly on a small club on the cusp of an all ireland final is not going to deter anyone in the future. Good luck to Derrytresk in the final - hope they can pull it off against all the odds!

Take a minute and think how ridiculous that sounds. That showing footage from a game is "bringing the game into disrepute". Blame the whistleblowers, in other words.

Anyway, how is the GAA supposed to have a consistent approach if they don't start somewhere? If they stick to their guns here, it'll be a lot easier to make the next one stick, whereas constantly going lightly on teams means the cycle will never be broken.

And whatever else, there is no way any suspensions here were "willy nilly". Everyone involved in the CCCC knew before they started here that no matter what they did, it would be appealed. They're not going to suspend someone without evidence - whether that evidence is the referee's report, video footage we haven't seen, or whatever.