Skip to content
Tempers flared at half-time in Ballybofey. Cathal Noonan/INPHO

€5000 fines for Tyrone and Donegal following Ballybofey scuffle

There’s also a proposed eight-week ban for Tyrone assistant boss Gavin Devlin.

THERE’S BAD NEWS for Tyrone and Donegal coffers this afternoon with confirmation of heavy punishments for the county boards.

Each board has been slapped with a €5000 fine following the controversial Ulster SFC preliminary round clash in Ballybofey on 17 May.

Tyrone assistant boss Gavin Devlin has also been informed that he’s facing a proposed eight-week ban after a scuffle broke out as the teams made their way to the dressing-rooms at half-time.

Gavin Devlin and Mickey Harte Gavin Devlin (left) has been handed a proposed eight-week ban. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

If the Red Hands decide not to appeal, Devlin will be absent from the touchline alongside manager Mickey Harte when Tyrone begin their All-Ireland qualifier campaign on 27 June.

The good news for Harte and his Donegal counterpart Rory Gallagher is that no player from either side has received a disciplinary sanction.

Tyrone and Donegal’s county boards have the option to appeal the punishments handed down.

‘There’s always a chance’ – Interim boss says Cheddar could return to Laois hurling job

This All-Ireland winning boss could have managed the Dublin footballers

Close
13 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gordon Bernard
    Favourite Gordon Bernard
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 2:45 PM

    But if nobody comes out, how will it ever change?

    175
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave
    Favourite Dave
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 2:50 PM

    What a fu***ng as***le!

    153
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Skillington
    Favourite Tony Skillington
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:36 PM

    Apt choice of words there Dave….

    74
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niamh Byrne
    Favourite Niamh Byrne
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 3:31 PM

    Italy is a very patriarchal chauvinistic society, it is no great surprise that an italian man would say this.

    135
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Waffler
    Favourite Waffler
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:00 PM

    i think all italian men need to come out of the closet, no straight men dress that well!

    125
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fabio Formisano
    Favourite Fabio Formisano
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 9:45 PM

    I think italian might close u in the closet waffler… Grow up boy!!!

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Waffler
    Favourite Waffler
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 11:30 PM

    yep, italians have no sense of humour

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DashRiprock
    Favourite DashRiprock
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 3:55 PM

    I saw his photo and honestly read that as ‘gay Italian footballer comes out of closet’.

    105
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Unitedpeople Ireland
    Favourite Unitedpeople Ireland
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:09 PM

    You too? LOL

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraic Keogh
    Favourite Padraic Keogh
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 5:16 PM

    Showering / changing beside a gay man. What’s the problem. Most people are lucky enough to have 2 arms, legs, head, “privates”. We are all much the same basically. What’s the big deal if a gay man sees another naked. So what.

    95
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bob Coggins
    Favourite Bob Coggins
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 1:50 AM

    And hooks for hands, and a big pair of F**kn wings!

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dirty Protest
    Favourite Dirty Protest
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 6:44 PM

    What’s the point in coming out, sure isn’t it more craic for them to be at it in closets, r so I’m led to believe from the metaphor

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bryan Hogan
    Favourite Bryan Hogan
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 5:16 PM

    We need to encourage people in sport to come out, the younger generation needs to see that their sporting heroes can also be openly gay.

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Skillington
    Favourite Tony Skillington
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:36 PM

    Homophobic dickhead…

    72
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve Herron
    Favourite Steve Herron
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 5:44 PM

    Typical arrogance from a footballer. They assume that all the women they see want to have sex with them so why not gay men too.

    gay men in football, like in every other situation, world rather have sex with someone who wants them?

    59
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Réada Quinn
    Favourite Réada Quinn
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 11:02 PM

    Truth

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel R
    Favourite Daniel R
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:00 PM

    FUCK HIM

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seán Ó Briain
    Favourite Seán Ó Briain
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:59 PM

    literally or figuratively?

    91
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joan Featherstone
    Favourite Joan Featherstone
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 8:28 PM

    Pass on the F.ck, I think he’s gay!

    24
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Réada Quinn
    Favourite Réada Quinn
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 11:00 PM

    Joan. You were told yesterday.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pete Gibson
    Favourite Pete Gibson
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 4:13 PM

    Berlusconi probably has gays and lesbians at his Bunga Bunga parties.

    After all, it was The Romans who invented orgies.

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gis Bayertz
    Favourite Gis Bayertz
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 6:07 PM

    Pete…..Greeks, it was the Greeks!

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lou Brennan
    Favourite Lou Brennan
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 2:45 PM

    How are they gonna get fit in there?

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amaru Lee Murphy
    Favourite Amaru Lee Murphy
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 5:14 PM

    Wasn’t there an open gay referee who did well in the sport?

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BlaaBoy
    Favourite BlaaBoy
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 7:12 PM

    The Rugby Union referee, Nigel Owens “came out” a few years back. I vaguely remember a Turkish football referee publicly admitted to being gay and was sacked a few hours later.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amaru Lee Murphy
    Favourite Amaru Lee Murphy
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 9:26 PM
    6
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid Donoghue
    Favourite Diarmuid Donoghue
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 7:34 AM

    Pretty funny stuff

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 8:33 PM

    To be fair, he’s only telling gay players that their career would be harmed and they would suffer abuse from the louts in the stands if they were brave enough, or reckless enough depending on how seriously you take the threats, physically and psychologically, to come out openly. It’s a chicken and egg argument that things have to change, of course they do but someone has to break the taboo and teh first ones will pay dearly for it. Justin Fashinou killed himself in 1998 not long after coming out, probably due in some measure to the disgusting abuse he suffered for his honesty and bravery. There was an article in the independent on Sunday (UK) from that publicist guy Max Clifford saying he’d advised several gay premier league players to keep the head down for the sake of their career. It’s wrong on all sorts of levels but it takes a brave man to come out knowing what’s coming…

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Réada Quinn
    Favourite Réada Quinn
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 11:06 PM

    No time like now for courage. Truth does not like hiding.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Brennan
    Favourite John Brennan
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 12:04 AM

    Surely Paul you are not advocating giving in to bullies.

    17
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul
    Favourite Paul
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 7:17 AM

    Of course it’s time for change but it’s easy to say that gay players should have courage to change the culture of the game. Not so easy if you’re all of a sudden faced with massive discrimination. People who belong to ethnic or other minorities are born into families who are the same as them, they have a support network from birth. Gay people don’t have that, they go through years of self hatred and denial before finally accepting who they are. Then they have to get others to accept them too, not easy considering the journey they’ve already taken through hatred. It’s hard to face that again, especially when your career is at stake as well. The Italian guy was being called all sorts. I don’t think he’s being homophobic just telling players what he believes is in their professional best interests. If they want to get political they should also be strategic, come out together or something

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid Donoghue
    Favourite Diarmuid Donoghue
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 7:43 AM

    Well said paul, whatever about coming out, but to endure abuse from the stand or terraces week in,week out would be tough, frightening and very personal, hurtful. It would have a huge strain on your mental health.who is to say that some players already fear the fans in the crowds, their chants, taunts,and then give them ammo to single you out. Very tough skin to do this

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pete Gibson
    Favourite Pete Gibson
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 7:19 PM

    Ok Gis, it was the Greeks.

    We Northern Europeans just don’t know how to have a proper party.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoghan Hickey
    Favourite Eoghan Hickey
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 12:45 AM

    I think it’s strange that whenever someone declares their opinion in this manner, people are quick to simply brand them homophobic, and completely ignore the main point. Perhaps being openly gay isn’t the best idea if you are a professional footballer?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve Herron
    Favourite Steve Herron
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 6:58 AM

    Yeah like the case of Justin Fashnu. Specifically told by Brian Clough to stay in the closet. How did that work out in the end? Can’t be easy living a lie.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Horgan
    Favourite David Horgan
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 11:15 PM

    tommasi – wat a gay

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cathy Murphy
    Favourite Cathy Murphy
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 5:38 PM

    If you do Daniel, don’t kiss & tell :)

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Julie Jewels
    Favourite Julie Jewels
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 7:06 AM

    It’s like: “we are macho footballers that must stay in the closet” and every weekend they kiss each other and slap each other’s bottoms right in front of the cameras :) But seriously if all the gay footballers came out, it would desensitise the whole issue, it would become the norm after a while.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amaru Lee Murphy
    Favourite Amaru Lee Murphy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 8:02 AM

    That reminds me a video from The Telegraph news, of Iran players who put his hand too far in the bottom of the other player while celebrating.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niamh Byrne
    Favourite Niamh Byrne
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 6:21 PM

    He is cute tho….hope he’s not gay.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clare Conran
    Favourite Clare Conran
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 7:05 PM

    Niamh, are you mad? He looks like Cher circa 1989 with a beard! Yuk!

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niamh Byrne
    Favourite Niamh Byrne
    Report
    Nov 30th 2011, 7:12 PM

    Hee hee…if he had a haircut….I bet ya he scrubs up well. But after his comment I wouldn’t touch him wit a barge pole…in his dreams :)

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Amaru Lee Murphy
    Favourite Amaru Lee Murphy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2011, 8:06 AM
    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.