KERRY LEGEND PAT Spillane believes that Dublin star Diarmuid Connolly is in line for a 12-week ban.
On The Sunday Game, Spillane and fellow pundit Colm O’Rourke discussed Connolly’s altercation with linesman Ciaran Brannigan during Dublin’s victory over Carlow at O’Moore Park on Saturday night.
The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) could take action against the St Vincent’s star following the incident.
The GAA’s Official Guide states that any form of ‘minor physical interference’ with a match official carries a minimum 12-week suspension in all codes and at all levels.
The Category V infraction covers inter-county and would see Connolly banned until an All-Ireland semi-final, if GAA disciplinary chiefs decide to act.
The rule is as follows:
Category V Infractions 5.36: To interfere with a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official – minor physical interference e.g. laying a hand on, pushing, pulling or jostling.
And Spillane said: “This is black or white, this is a very obvious thing.
“Diarmuid was infuriated that a sideline decision went (against him) and not giving the ball back. The pictures here it all.
“A picture tells a thousand words, clearly going to Ciaran Brannigan the linesman, clearly putting his hand on the sideline man, which he’s not entitled to do, clearly pushing the linesman which he’s not entitled to do, and clearly, with his finger pointed, threatening the linesman.
“He put his hands on the linesman, he pushed the linesman back and a finger pointed in someone’s face sounds to me like threatening. It’s minor physical interference, it carries a penalty of 12 weeks.”
O’Rourke agreed: ”The rule is very clear. Now it was minor physical interference but Diarmuid Connolly is a man who lives on the edge.
“He’s had a couple of black cards this year, got one against Monaghan that I thought he shouldn’t have got, got one in the League final.
“That has nothing to do with that incident last night but he’s a player that gets frustrated easily, he was playing poorly, got involved in a scrape and really could pay a heavy price for it.”
O’Rourke insisted that Connolly must learn to deal with being a marked man.
He said: “Through the history of Gaelic Football, every good forward has been targeted.
It’s up to Diarmuid Connolly to have the discipline to go out and play, knowing that in every game, he’s going to be targeted by at least one of the opposition. What does he expect teams are going to do with him?”
Spillane added: ”You prod a bear, you get a reaction. You prod Diarmuid Connolly, you antagonise Diarmuid Connolly and you always get a reaction.
“In his defence, you could say the linesman didn’t bring it to the referee’s attention, you might point to the fact that perhaps the referee didn’t see it.
“But you had a similar offence in a club match with Evan Comerford, the Tipperary goalie lately. Minor physical interference with a referee, as stated here. It looks like 12 weeks.”
And former Meath All-Ireland winner O’Rourke insisted that this latest episode doesn’t portray Connolly in a good light.
He said: “He doesn’t come out of it looking good.
“For me, he’s been the best player, or one of the best players for last five or six years, but there’s always this edge to his game and he crossed the line last night (Saturday).”
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Cork look to be the weakest team going into the Munster Championship this year. I really fear for us. The ground better dry up fast if we’re to have any hope.
Think Tipp will win the AI this year. Only lost to Galway by a point last year and were no where near their best.
Fair play to Limerick for going 10 games unbeaten.
@Munsterman: serious talent on that limerick side. Promising future ahead for limerick hopefully. Always were my second team outside of where im from.
Great win but the best is still to come.
Very hard to predict Tipps championship 15 now. Serious squad
What pissed many of us off was limerick v tipp just after munster v toulon, if the game was played today instead of last night after the munster v toulon game the attendance would have been double, i would have gone to thurles my self today, but no they played the game in thurles on a saturday night, i can not make out weather it was stupid or done on purpose.
@ktsiwot: who’s us? They could have moved the Munster game to today too!!
@Joe Kennedy: The Munster match was watched by millions around the world, I suspect it had more of a pull.
@Munsterman: haha….millions?! There was billions watching the hurling I believe!
@Joe Kennedy: I am from limerick and would have gone to that game if on today, was at thomond for what has an incredible match and atmosphere.
Many I know were in the same situation as well as many I met last night watching the match from both Limerick and Tipp.
They fixed that match last monday, they lost attendance and money, many were discussing it last night and could not get over the stupidity of it.
The majority of people follow all sport and not stuck to a specific mindset.
@Joe Kennedy: yes joe it is a european cup the pop of uk, france and ireland is well over 100 million, it is not stretching it to say a million saw the game. Nearly every one I new saw that match more so than the hurling match which was also brilliant.
@ktsiwot: excuses excuses. I made both comfortably. Even had time to stop in borrisoleigh for a hot chicken roll
@Tadhg Keating: good man Tadhg. Fair play.
@ktsiwot: he said “millions around the world” though!! Three European countries = the World does it?! Doesn’t matter anyway….was just laughing at the exaggeration. I follow all sports myself too by the way. Everyone I knew had no interest in the rugby…..not sure what that’s got to do with anything though!! Finally, as Tadhg said…. you could have made both if you really wanted to anyway no?
@Joe Kennedy: this match was broadcasted all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. I’m not at all exaggerating when I said millions watched it.
@Munsterman: haha… ah come off it!! Throw up your source for your stats there! How do you know how many watched it in those countries?!
@ktsiwot: typical privileged rugby fanboy comment. They could just as easily moved the rugby match to Sunday or even Monday but of course no one can even suggest that. The games clash so it’s the GAA’s fault. End of story.
We will win no All Ireland with Barry fullback. He is a disaster, wrong side of his man all night, no idea how to defend and running around in circles. No one else given a chance at fullback apart from Hamill who we also know is too slow. Puckouts major issue aswell, embarrassing watching last night, not 1 Tipp player able to catch a ball, even standing on their own they stick the Hurley up to knock the ball down instead of catching it. Put your hand up for christ sake and catch the ball.
@Wedger: WHEN I PLAYED hurling no one had the nerve to put their hand up.IT WAS FAR TOO DANGEROUS..
@Michael Heery: me too. Many a finger bone popped out of place from getting a smack catching the ball. Miss that on a freezing sunday morning. Used to love getting bones clicked back into place. Seriously tough game! Tipp have some panel. Hard to look past them come business end of the season.