TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8366 - 07/06/2017 08:29:37    1996172

What would've happened if he'd been sent off at the time? Does he not still get the 12 weeks minimum even if the ref deals with it at the time and gives him a straight red for it?

wicklu (Wicklow) - Posts: 331 - 07/06/2017 08:33:30    1996176

DC needs to live by his actions know they have consequences , as I said on Dubs page gutted if I don't get to see him play , DC is what class football is all about , that bit of individualism that few have , nobody will hurt more than DC I've seen first hand the work that goes on away from the lights ,to put so much in and then not through injury have half your summer taken away , but as a GAA fan AND as someone who has posted often on here re lack of respect for officials there is a part of me saying HQ have to do this. Word needs to go out loud and clear the type of behaviour DC resorted to is understandable but never acceptable.
Is there a witch-hunt NO , are there those delighted for their own end that DC is suspended definitely

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 07/06/2017 08:36:09    1996177

Lads, I'll start this off by saying I am 100% dedicated Galway man but actually a genuine fan of Dublin football and the way the team goes about its football and swashbuckling performances.

I also don't think Connolly did a whole lot to the linesman the last day, despite lads posting screenshots of the GAA rulebook etc. I actually think he will get the 12 weeks because the GAA will look to make an example of this and highlight they do not tolerate players making contact with officially - and it is THIS very point I have to agree with.

Before you think its just picking on Connolly, the GAA would have to make an example out of ANY top class intercounty player with Connolly status (lets say a GOOCH, Sean Cav, Colm Boyle profile), they have to and to be fair they are right - I see underage lads (Im talking u16 etc) coping EXACTLY what goes on at senior level and it wont be long until they hold the linesman with the lack of respect that Connolly showed.

On a side note, and with all honesty, what was he playing at? Dub were always going to win that game +10, why is he pushing a linesman? Why does he always seem to be drawing attention on himself for the wrong reasons? I guess that's just his character and some will counter argue its the bit of devilment that makes him that class of a player - I just thought he'd have mellowed out a bit at this stage...

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 761 - 07/06/2017 08:39:25    1996178

If the referee say the incident why did he NOT punish it? How come it found its way into the referee's report? now surely the referee didn't watch SKY analysis before he filled out his report? All these officials are mic'ed up so seems odd it finds its way into the report

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 07/06/2017 08:39:33    1996179

It's always someone else's fault .

This times it's a witch hunt and the media are to blame for Connolly pointing and touching a linesman .

What's worse is people referring to the abuse he gets .

All the top players get it .

Some posters defending him feel that he's done nothing wrong so he shouldn't face punishment so it's okay for him to do it again and again ? It's now okay to intimidate officials ?

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 07/06/2017 08:48:18    1996185

Not sure if the man in question could be calling it a with hunt given what he has got off with down the years and he seems guilty as charged.

However the question here is consistency or rather lack of it. Time and again a variety of incidents are tackled with a range from no punishment to throwing the book and more times than enough overturned on appeal.

I think the GAA really need to sit down and take their time and go through the rule book, tighten it all up with specific procedures and punishments and start again maybe next year or the year after when they have the thing water tight. As it stands these incidents and trials just go from one farce to the next.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 07/06/2017 08:54:17    1996188

Jesus lads Tommy Walsh incident being used here as a reference, any more straws to clutch at? Look through my posts in the past, I have defended the Dubs when they get lazy criticism in relation to funding etc etc. but this defence of Connolly is cringy. And the excuse of him getting more abuse off the ball than any other player is nonsense. Murphy gets it just as bad. In both games last year Keegan did nothing off the ball that could be deemed dirty or foul play, he simply stuck to him like glue and outplayed him, but he got punished because Connolly was being protected following a media campaign to highlight what a tough time he gets off the ball. Anyone who was at both games and watched them closely saw he was simply marked out of it , but this is never brought up. People simply relate back to the incident with Keegan in 2015 and think the 2 of them spend an hour knocking lumps out of each other, it's pure nonsense. Connolly is one of the most gifted footballers I have ever seen and is a joy to watch when things are going his way, but when they are not and he is having a quiet game, the assumption from his fans are he is being assaulted off the ball for 70 mins, give it a rest lads.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8366 - 07/06/2017 09:15:25    1996197

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 07/06/2017 09:21:07    1996202

Do not appeal

Let it go, he will be back for the semi
Imagine the reception he will get and the buzz for his return come August
The Blue Panther returns

We will make a semi without you DC, come back fresh, ready and with a clean slate!!

God help who ever we meet that day, the genius will tear them apart

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 07/06/2017 09:30:48    1996209

He broke the rule on two counts....laid hand on ref and foul and abusive language towards him. It was in referee's report. He got the appropriate punishment as stated on the rules.....no more no less. There isn't even grounds for appeal and any attempt should be thrown out. It's not a witchhunt....it's just application of the rules.

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 972 - 07/06/2017 09:35:13    1996217

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 07/06/2017 09:36:02    1996218

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 07/06/2017 09:43:22    1996227

I hope Dublin don't go appealing this now and making a big meal of it. Yes, Connolly has every right to appeal if he wants to but sometimes you just got to take things like this on the chin. The rule is there, as Michael Quirke said on OTB last night, the rules of golf can be deemed severe but minor incidents but they're there.
Yes 12 weeks seems excessive but like a speeding fine, you pay the same amount whether you're 5 km/h over the limit or 40 km/h.

However, I think from now on there has to be a zero tolerance on players putting his hands on a referee. Where do you draw the line over what is aggressive and what isn't. Something like that is too open to interpretation.

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 07/06/2017 09:44:38    1996230

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 07/06/2017 09:48:31    1996234

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 07/06/2017 09:52:16    1996236

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 07/06/2017 09:58:51    1996240

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 07/06/2017 10:04:54    1996242

I actually hope this is appealed, not that i dont believe that he didnt break the rule or by the letter of the law he doesn't get the suspension, their is something murky going on here between the witnessing of the incident and the referee match report, the mentioned debrief is odd, if you are going to apply the rules so concretely on the player, grand i dont have a problem with that. If you do it without due process, however that deserves to be examined and i believe Dublin County Board has a right to do that.

I think that is a different fight to the whether he deserves the suspension or not, by the letter of the law he does. But i am not sure all the appropriate process's have been adhered to here.

I agree with the Tipp poster who said Comerford a bigger loss to them then Connolly to Dublin given the strength of the panel and i think a fresh Connolly come August could be massive. I think Dublin need to take this on for other counties.

Sleep well Blue Panther.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4512 - 07/06/2017 10:23:10    1996254

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 07/06/2017 10:29:40    1996259