DUBLIN STAR DIARMUID Connolly may decide to take his case to the independent Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) after exhausting the avenues of appeal available to him through GAA channels at Croke Park.
But it’s thought highly unlikely that the St. Vincent’s ace would receive an eleventh hour reprieve as the chairman of two of the GAA’s disciplinary bodies that he has already appeared before are former secretaries of the DRA, and solicitors by profession.
In recent times, GAA chiefs have been working hard behind the scenes to close any potential loopholes and they will be unhappy if Connolly is cleared to play against Mayo in Saturday’s All-Ireland football final replay.
It is understood that there is annoyance within the corridors of power that Mayo defender Kevin Keane won his recent red card appeal but that precedence alone won’t help Connolly if he ventures down the DRA route.
Connolly was handed a one-match ban after he was red-carded for a tangle with Mayo’s Lee Keegan in last Sunday’s drawn match.
Connolly has failed at Central Hearings and Central Appeals Committee levels after the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee proposed the suspension.
Liam Keane was the first secretary of the DRA and is the current chairman of the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee (CHC).
Another qualified solicitor, Matt Shaw, was secretary of the DRA from March 2009 until February of this year and is the current Central Appeals Committee (CAC) chairman.
The CAC heard Connolly’s appeal into the early hours of this (Friday) morning but decided that Connolly’s ban should stand.
As the bodies spearheaded by Keane and Shaw have both dismissed the Connolly case, a source close to the process told The42 it is unlikely that the DRA’s current secretary, Jack Anderson from the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast, will rule against his predecessors.
Meanwhile, a well-placed GAA source has confirmed to The42 this morning that if Saturday’s replay goes to extra-time, Connolly still won’t be eligible to play, even though it would constitute ‘a new match.’
If a player is suspended for a game, the ban covers the regulation 70 minutes plus any potential extra-time.
This is the frustrating thg with the gaa, there’s no transparency and they give zero information about why a ban is or isn’t overturned. Nobody knows why keanes red card was recinded or why McMahon and o Connor weren’t cited, that’s why people have no faith in them
Completely agree
Good! He is a dirty b***ard ,as well as Cooper who deserves a ban too ,you can always rely on Dublin to act like a bunch of gypos
Why would Cooper be banned? He couldn’t exactly change his direction when he was in mid air could he?
Because he extended his leg and buried his boot in that Mayo lads knee……
Yea that Mayo lad was fine after he got his free
That “new game” interpretation is ridiculous. How can a new game start at anything other than no score each?
Its just so additional subs can be used.
Fair enough, but it seems odd to deem ET a “new game” if yellow cards issued during normal time carry into extra-time, for instance. Likewise, it seems perverse to allow teams who had a player sent off during normal time to go back to 15 players for extra-time. There seems to be a lack of consistency around the rule, IMO.
Can we get on with the game now. there is no consistency in these decisions. Up the Dubs!
Alan brogan will slot in instead of Connolly , if we keep the fouls in front of goal down we should beat them handy enough
Shows how weak the dublin bench is if Alan brogan is still the best they can offer. Well past his peak. Very suspect about this myth of “strength in depth” dublin have. Mayo have a much stronger bench IMO – Andy Moran a real match winner to come in
Kev mc. I think Alan brogan can still do it ?
the dubs should just give mayo the walkover .as there no fairness been applied here ,considering what happened in mayo v Donegal game.
Yearra yea
http://youtu.be/5g50XzG9aBI send this into the DRA
While both standing the “slapped away” is with a closed fist. that’s actually more incriminating. he throws a punch before Keegan pulls him down
connelly threw a punch
That video is hilarious. Connolly throws a punch and it says “slapped away”. To be fair the GAA disciplinary committees are a joke and have been for a few years, Keane should not have got off earlier on in the year but he did. That does not mean Connolly should get off now. Two wrongs don’t make a right people.
ffs
I would love to see that going to the dra , the first two slaps as you call them happen in every game slow down a player you are marking, then the two get tangled which is a yellow card for both, but Connolly throws a punch to the face which is a straight red and should be more than 1 match suspension in my opionion, the second mayo player can him to drag them apart and at all times was calling to the lines man to see what was happening, he did noting wrong in dragging Connolly off Keegan, if Keegan was on top he would have dragged Keegan off. And The idea the Dublin gaa supporters club have put up about clapping for a minute on the 12th minute is disgusting, it w as done last week for the mayo minor who lost his life in a car crash. doing it Connolly would be just wrong in so many ways
U seriously sent that to the DRA….. sweet lord above, I have read it all now! :D
the clearest evidence in that video is the headlock which is maintained from a standing position till both players hit the ground potential there for serious injury .that is dangerous play by keegan .that is clear as day.both players should have seen red along with oconnor for first have bursting of ocarrols eye and involvment in this either 2 yellows or straight red,and cooper for dangerous tackle straight red simple and fair.people need to get real with this stop being blinkered on both sides and move on.