2008 Ulster Club Championships

[full back]

Didnt get the paper yet
I thought the Ulster Council are waiting on the clubs getting back to them

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Here's the article fb:

THE Ulster Council will not be taking any action against Crossmaglen's Francie Bellew over a first-half altercation with a Ballinderry player during Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final replay at Brewster Park.

Ballinderry clubman Adrian McGuckin told The Irish News yesterday that the former Allstar should have been sent off after a coming together with Brian McGuckin, the renowned colleges' coach insisting that Bellew's head made contact with the Shamrocks player.

The UUJ manager was also critical of referee Brian Crowe's performance, and accused the media of "airbrushing" the contentious incident. While admitting that Cross were the better team on the day, McGuckin suggested the dismissal of Bellew could have had a major impact on the final result.

Crowe immediately ordered the Ballinderry player to get back on his feet, and took no disciplinary action against Bellew – and the Ulster Council has no plans to take the matter any further.

"As far as we're concerned, the incident involving Francie Bellew was dealt with by the referee," said Ulster Council secretary Danny Murphy yesterday.

The news was music to the ears of Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh, who said he had seen nothing in the altercation that would have merited further investigation.

He said: "Well, certainly it's a bit of good news for us. I know the video evidence worked for us the last time [in overturning John McEntee's red card from the drawn game], but it doesn't always tell the whole story.

"Francie maintained that he didn't make contact with the man, that he just tried to shrug him off. It may have looked like more on the

camera, but he said the man [McGuckin] was holding him and then he give him a wee bit of a hit to the ribs, and he [Bellew] just reacted to that and shrugged him off.

"I didn't really see it at the time, but have seen it on the camera since," added the Cross boss. "I think Francie's would be a pretty fair assessment of it, and I think if you see it from behind the goals, it doesn't look nearly as bad at all.

"We'd be glad there's nothing more to come of it because Francie's had many a raw deal in the past, so we're thankful there isn't going to be any more about it."

The Ulster Council has already asked the two clubs to explain the incidents which marred Sunday's replayed final, after a scuffle broke out between the opposing sides as they were heading for the dressing rooms at half-time.

A copy of the referee's report and a video of the game have been sent to both Crossmaglen Rangers and Ballinderry Shamrocks, with the Ulster Council seeking the club's viewpoints on the matter.

TV replays didn't appear to indicate the precise culprits.

The Armagh champions will be keen to avoid having any of their players unavailable for their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Limerick and

Munster champions Dumcollogher/Broadford, as they bid to avenge last year's painful defeat at the same stage to eventual champions St Vincent's.

Cross last lifted the Andy Merrigan Cup in 2007, and were crowned All-Ireland club champions three times between 1997 and 2000.

[INDIANA]

Arguably the biggest discplinary disgrace in recent times. When you think of the rubbish that when on over Colie Moran's innocuos tackle on Bannon earlier in the year, or Parnellgate where teams had numerous players suspended and then you see that and the player gets off scot free. The Ulster Council should hang their heads in shame. An absolute disgrace to the game bot the incident and the powers that be.

[Uladh]

In personal experience, cross fans are far the worst. other clubs are all similar with the clans just a tad worse than the average.

the ordinary cross fan (the ones that go to league games - which are very very few) is the same as every other club. the odd header but mostly decent skins. their problem comes wth the "championship fans". they're loud, abusive and angry. they seem to think that they have to perpetuate the club image of the rough and ready hardy boys even though the vast majority of them never kicked a ball.

the cross players past and present that i know are salt of the earth, genuine and in no way big headed about their astonishing achievements. their supporters are deliberatly superior and dismissive in outlook and are quick to turn football chat into stories of teams they "hammered", players they "finished" and trophies they have storing tea bags in the kitchen. a quick enqiuiry into the number of medals they have themselves usually quietens them as those that have them never mention medals.

there is that recently retired player who has been referred to and he's the exception to the rule. o and one current player who behave despicably at a few underage championship matches i've attended, but thats it.

[full back]

Cheers FoSB

Wind yer neck in Indiana FFS

[the green man]

“I didn’t really see it at the time, but have seen it on the camera since,” added the Cross boss. “I think Francie’s would be a pretty fair assessment of it, and I think if you see it from behind the goals, it doesn’t look nearly as bad at all.

Is he taking the piss?

Also if the ref dealt with this incident and therefore the UC cannot act on it, who come they could act on John Mac's incident when the ref had already dealt with it?

[Uladh]

Indiana raises an interesting point. i thought there was no scope for revisiting incidents that were dealt with through a yellow card though obviously the moran one makes a myth of that.

[INDIANA]

Uladh thats gone now, that loophole was removed. Thats why the Ulster Council statment is factually incorrect and incorrect on how the rules were applied this season. Any incident can be re-visited.Its an absolute disgrace then someone can actually go to headbutt somebody and no sanction taken, even when caght on TV I'm actually all for the new rules now, this is an absolute farce. This isn't about Bellew, its about the wider application of the rules across the board. the Ulster Council should hang their heads in shame.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Uladh thats gone now, that loophole was removed. Thats why the Ulster Council statment is factually incorrect and incorrect on how the rules were applied this season. Any incident can be re-visited

But, when Danny Murphy says: "As far as we're concerned, the incident involving Francie Bellew was dealt with by the referee" , surely that could be construed to mean that the referee dealt satisfactorily with the incident at the time, and therefore no revisiting is necessary?

[INDIANA]

Anyone who thinks that incident was dealth with by the referee is an imbecile quite frankly. Its no wonder the Ulster club scene has the issues it had, when you conider who is running the show up there.

[brokencrossbar1]

That is your opinion Indiana, but the Council accepted the referees report and that is the end of it.  Surely people can't believe that the conspiracy that Cross have all officials in Armagh in their pocket hasn't stretched to Ulster as well?

As regards the Moran incident, Moran rightly was suspended.  The nature of his tackle was dangerous.  To put it in perspective, the same type of tackle happened to Martin Aherne recently.  He was picking up a ball and as he was down he got a full frontal charge.  He ended up having a double hair lone fracture of the skull and is out of football for 6 months.  He would probably have played in the Ulster Championship and AI semi either as a starter or a sub.  As someone who had a similar injury, I know how hard it is to get the confidence in yourself to be able to take a hit while the brain is still rattling about a bit.  This could have happened to Bannon, but thankfully didn't for his sake.

As regards Francie, it could have gone either way, but the referee was right beside it and had a clear view.  He obviously took the view that there was no contact and that McGukin was trying it on.  You reap what you sow as the saying goes and this perhaps is an unfortunate bye product of what happened in the previous game.

[INDIANA]

In a state of shock here that an innocuous tackle that happens in every match is a rightful suspension. And a headbutt is now permissable. Like I said before its no wonder the discplinary problems that exist up North are an ongoing event every year with adminstrators like the Ulster Council. What a shower of clowns.

[saffron sam2]

"We'd be glad there's nothing more to come of it because Francie's had many a raw deal in the past, so we're thankful there isn't going to be any more about it."

I'm struggling to recall any such raw deals.

As regards the Moran incident, Moran rightly was suspended.  The nature of his tackle was dangerous.  To put it in perspective, the same type of tackle happened to Martin Aherne recently.  He was picking up a ball and as he was down he got a full frontal charge.   He ended up having a double hair lone fracture of the skull and is out of football for 6 months.  He would probably have played in the Ulster Championship and AI semi either as a starter or a sub.  As someone who had a similar injury, I know how hard it is to get the confidence in yourself to be able to take a hit while the brain is still rattling about a bit.  This could have happened to Bannon, but thankfully didn't for his sake.

Remind you of anyone? Surprised you felt Moran should have been suspended. Given the obvious refusal of Brain Crowe to send off anyone in the game at the weekend (and indeed the Noel O'Leary incident) the incident in which he did send off a Cross man (vs. Slaughneil) must have been very very serious indeed.

[rrhf]

Pints was that the time Jarleth had to shepherd the referee into his car and yes had a good batin at him too.  Plenty of these incidents seem to  follow youse guys around alright. 

[crossfire]

Its great to see that Indiana is aghast at "incidents" going unpunished.

I am sure he was utterly disgusted at the leniency shown to Ciaran Whelan over the years.