Christy Cooney is hoping the GAA won't have to resort to erecting fencing at provincial venues in the wake of last Sunday's violence in Portlaoise.

While the Association was forced to install a Perspex fence on Hill 16 to combat pitch invasions at Croke Park two years ago, the GAA president is reluctant to introduce similar measures at county grounds.

"You know our views on that," he said in the Irish Examiner.

"We don't necessarily want to hem people in. We've put on a pilot (scheme) in Croke Park over the last two years and it worked extremely well. There was nobody coming in from the stands in any of our games. We want that (attitude) to operate in every county ground and every club ground and for people to respect the players in particular because by coming onto the pitch, they are causing problems for players.

"We don't want that. It's an education process and I think we've gone some bit in moving that on through what we've done in Croke Park. People recognise - and I think it became very apparent after the All-Ireland football final - it was the right thing to do."

Cooney expressed the hope that both Dresktresk and Dromid Pearses will co-operate fully with the CCCC's investigation into last Sunday's incidents. However, he stressed that "there is so much" that the GAA disciplinary body can do.

"You know what happened in the (Louth v Meath Leinster final in 2010). There were people that came onto the field and certain matters were taken up by the gardaí and went through due process.

"There were issues in Antrim last year and the Antrim County Board dealt with that very strongly. There were issues in Tyrone and the Tyrone County Board dealt with that very strongly. I'm sure there were a lot of people in Portlaoise had no involvement in the situation and went there for the purpose of supporting their team and enjoying the game. People who have misbehaved have to be dealt with and the Central Competitions Control Committee will do that." Tweet

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