Is it no wonder the standard of refereeing is as bad as it is when decisions they make are over turned.
Connolly I said last night he would win his appeal and everyone said no way he has lost two all ready.
Sadly one rule for one county and another for the rest.
Shame on everyone involved to belittle what was once a fantastic and beautiful game.

Questions now have to be asked was the referees hand twisted to rewrite his report or what.
From what I can see now is that Player's can head butt another player and get away with it.
They can throw all the punches they like and get away with it.
What message are the young children that are the players of the future picking up from all this.

The Quiet Man (Cavan) - Posts: 4601 - 05/09/2015 10:18:39    1782545

You are totally correct Sean.. The GAA are turning into a total joke... Have they no rules that they actually stand by...? Where is the great Aoghan O Farrell and what is his take on this..? He was quick enough to give out about people giving an honest opinion on the Sunday Game but I bet there wont be a peep out of him over this...

Sean66 (Cavan) - Posts: 440 - 05/09/2015 11:25:45    1782648

We are the only sport that brings in new rules every year. So how can refs cope? Black card rule is crazy. Send a man off and letting him be replaced . Where's the sense in that? Scrap the black card and give a penalty instead that would soon stop the cynical fouling stuff very quickly.

Awwwwnow (Cavan) - Posts: 1050 - 05/09/2015 15:38:40    1782812

i know its an absolute joke. kevin kean the same. i know morally both were very unlucky as they were not the originators in the incidents. Keegan was the villian of the piece last week and should have been black carded but if connolly threw a punch then the ref was correct regardless. i would love to know on what grounds was it over-turned. i think scrap the appeals process, let the ref's decision be final whether it is correct or not. all the nonsense has to stop. Kerry get away with all sorts too while "lesser" countys like ourselves just take our punishment. what cooper,mcmahon, were up to last week was also a disgrace. i couldn't care less who wins the final now, the 2 most cynical teams have prevailed.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 05/09/2015 19:10:53    1782940

Got of on a legal technicality that he had no time to prepare a defence. The punch still stands. Joke.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 05/09/2015 19:29:41    1782963

Why not introduce a sin bin rather than the black card? I know that still doesn't solve the issue of an incorrect decision from the referee. But if the referee's decision is correct, at least it actually penalises the player/team responsible for the infraction?

lockerocker (Cavan) - Posts: 34 - 05/09/2015 20:03:34    1782982

sin bin was trialled years ago in league along with the "mark" for kick outs - neither worked
according to Joe Brolly the GAA must apply the law of the land. If I punch you, you cant shoot me.Connooly claimed " allegedly" that he was held in a throat grasp and he acted in self defence.
So if the GAA have to apply the law of the land, when is every punch and elbow on the field not being brought to court to have the law of the land applied. Maybe if they were it would put a stop to it. The whole thing is a farce.

FrDougalMaguire (Cavan) - Posts: 152 - 07/09/2015 11:34:29    1783821

Tomsmith here

While I have sympathy for all concerned I feel that the following has/had been taken in to consideration
No1 Diarmuid Connolly is and ahs been the subject of abuse, provocation in the past
No2 His alleged attacker has admitted as much
No3 A brilliant sportsman who has to be stopped ta all costs if then opposition has any chance
No4 Just because he is a Dublin man the small Country man V the Big city man syndrome kicks in

So I say Justice was done in the end
Amen

tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3855 - 14/09/2015 19:14:51    1787333

Tomsmith - his alleged attacker has admitted as much - if he admitted as much, sure he'd be called his attacker, not alleged attacker!!
What did he actually admit by the way? talking nonsense as usual!

The GAA made a mockery of the whole debacle, you get suspended, you appeal, you fail, you appeal again, you fail, then you go to the 'GAA's independent body to appeal again!!
Connolly got off on a technicality because he didn't have time to prepare a defence, a defence to what, that he was provoked? so in other words, its fine to strike an opposing player, and then mount a defence to why you've done it!!

deanmartin (Cavan) - Posts: 643 - 15/09/2015 08:18:59    1787423

the thing i find strange is that if he hadn't time to prepare a defence then he should have been given time . they should have said "Ok we will give you 2 weeks to prepare and then you can appeal.. meaning of course that he would lose his appeal and miss the all-ireland final. Why did this not happen.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 15/09/2015 19:06:14    1787891