Hill there was no where it was said he was deliberately hindered just that he was hindered.

The ironic thing is I believe this is the second time Connolly has gotten off on a technicality.

The GAA disciplinary system is a farce and it has nothing to do with Connolly getting off, on precedent that was going to happen anyway because it's a farce, why he had to wait till 2.30 am on a Friday night to find out is beyond me.

Good luck to the lad today but for me he was a hinderance to the dubs last Sunday as great a footballer as he is.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1339 - 05/09/2015 12:46:53    1782716

I'd love to know why the Dubs fans are still banging on about O'Connor and Keegan?! Sure they have nothing to do with the 'reason' Connolly got off. The DRA never mentioned them! It was to do with some timescale bull. We all know it's a joke lads but at least play along with it! If you guys hadn't Condorman and Waynol you would have no one to sound credible.

kildare73 (Kildare) - Posts: 854 - 05/09/2015 13:19:44    1782735

O'Connor not getting charged and Connolly getting charged proves the gaa hearing system is inept. To even look at the Connolly sending off, you would see O'Connor throwing a punch? So you see Connolly pull his arm back trying to punch and you see O'Connor punch and connect. Connolly gets a suspension. Truly bizarre stuff.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 05/09/2015 13:28:41    1782741

When you see Sheeflin, Horgan and Connolly getting reinstated and Sean Tobin losing his appeal it tells us all we need to know.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 05/09/2015 13:33:58    1782745

When you see Sheeflin, Horgan and Connolly getting reinstated and Sean Tobin losing his appeal it tells us all we need to know. Firthermore with Connolly's record on and off the field it is truly amazing.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 05/09/2015 13:35:09    1782747

Let the game begin

sxckev (Mayo) - Posts: 211 - 05/09/2015 13:40:23    1782753

Glad DC's playing.... didn't want to see him being the only one to suffer under the GAA's Alice in Wonderland approach to justice. I was for Kevin Keane missing his game and in the end he wasn't used anyway. Cillian O'Connor's situation was a deliberate attempt to free himself and the fact that his forearm made contact where it did was more than 100 to 1, considering ROC was behind him and both players were moving. Hope he's fit to play today too. Cillian hit no one else... tried to separate Connolly and Keegan, while looking bewildered. Other cases best forgotten now... the GAA will need to look at itself and decide if the carry-on this summer is worthy of the organisation. Let's get back to football and hope the teams and referee give us good things to talk about this evening. All the best lads, let's just enjoy it.

Pericles (Mayo) - Posts: 2521 - 05/09/2015 13:44:01    1782754

Last game was so nasty and cynical it was probably fairest to let all players play again and have better support for the referee from his assistants today. However the whole GAA disciplinary structure is a mess when you have cases like this.
The referee and linesman agreed it was a sending off offense. The first disciplinary body agreed and so did the second. But no lets push it to the limit and get the legal eagles to find a technicality to get him off.
The GAA is the big loser in this as every player will now go down this route and particularly the top teams in Aug and Sept. Why not have every county sign a written declaration at the start of the year that they will accept the outcome of the first hearing.
This is the 2nd time that Connolly has to resort to this to play in a final. Make of that what you wish.

murof (Kildare) - Posts: 480 - 05/09/2015 14:14:18    1782772

Mixed feelings about this. Great to see Connolly play as he is one of the greats. Not great that a player gets off using the defense that others that should have been sent off were not. It is a dangerous precedent for the game and anything can be appealed successfully on this call now.

Players have got to cop on a bit and stop the gamesmanship on the pitch, and the thuggery, as ultimately it is the problem. We are at a serous crossroads in the game, and I wonder will things improve hereon.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 05/09/2015 14:18:24    1782774

Heading in now, good luck to both teams, I hope they play to their potential, and we have a better match than last week. Hope everyone lasts the match, but I admit I'd have a laugh if Connolly got sent off! Up the dubs!!

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 05/09/2015 14:19:39    1782775

Dublin have no excuses now and Mayo's victory will be all the sweeter!! COME ON MAYO!!!

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 05/09/2015 14:49:17    1782782

Thats the spirit JamesH. Dubs by 2!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 05/09/2015 14:52:29    1782783

Justice implies moral correctness not escape on a technicality. Did Connolly deserve to be sent off? If so he deserved a minimum of one match ban ! Justice?

lmaBeliever (Mayo) - Posts: 1 - 05/09/2015 14:54:10    1782784

Great to see that the mask has now well and truly slipped, all those dubs posters and their faux outrage over Tiernan McCann, Joxer the hanging judge of HS at the head of the lynch mob, now, one of their own was basically caught red handed on national TV with a violent on field assault, correctly red carded and dealt with under the rules of the organisation and lo and behold, the Dubs were on the verge of enlisting the help of Amal Clooney to get him off all charges. How could they, not our Diarmuid, its so unfair, what about the Mayo lads they were at it too, yada, yada, yada. Lap it up boys, yis have well and truly set the gold standard for hypocrisy right here, no more of that old moral outrage at other counties, no more taking the moral high ground, Tiernan McCann was guilty of nothing more than being a dick, Connolly, well, you don't need me to point out his deeds, or maybe you do.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/09/2015 14:59:21    1782785

Brend you've turned into a fierce grump lately ;p

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 05/09/2015 15:04:42    1782788

Top post brend!

sam2008 (Tyrone) - Posts: 797 - 05/09/2015 15:12:53    1782790

Telling it like it is Jackeen, just telling it like it is.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/09/2015 15:13:04    1782791

Its not the players fault the way the disciplinary system has disintegrated. Its the top brass.
The madness of trying to suspend McCann for 2 months set a precedent. It was cloud cuckoo stuff.
That proposed suspension was media driven and much of the following disciplinary issues are a result of these few media people having forced the GAA powers that be into making fools of themselves over and over again since then. They're on a roll.
Basically there are now no meaningful rules re cards, sending offs etc. Its whatever you're having yourself.
What now if Connolly or other sinners from last week misbehaves again today? Whose face will the egg be on. Nobody's of course. This is Ireland.

I am wondering if the referee and officials will take some kind of stand today and go to one extreme or the other re enforcing discipline?
Then again if the likes of Pat McAneaney is mentoring them anything is possible.

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 05/09/2015 15:13:36    1782792

A controversial last second winner by Connolly will do nicely.

bangbang (Dublin) - Posts: 113 - 05/09/2015 15:16:35    1782796

Murof, you want more support for the ref from his assistants, which is a fair call but it is even more important that GAA disciplinary bodies support him in his decisions. Barristers and lawyers are interested in loopholes not truth, justice or the health of the Association

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 05/09/2015 15:16:47    1782797