GAA president Nickey Brennan described yesterday's scenes during the second International Rules Test at Croke Park as "completely unacceptable" and has now questioned the future of the annual encounter.
A question mark undoubtedly hangs over the future of the Series between Ireland and Australia following more violent pitch scenes in which Meath's Graham Geraghty was knocked unconscious and later taken to hospital where he had to be kept in overnight.
In fact Irish management accused the Australians of deliberately targeting Geraghty among other players and were incensed that the Australian referee did not see fit to send anyone off.
Now calls to abandon the Series have come to the fore despite
82,000 spectators - the largest in the history of the series -
watched the game at GAA headquarters. However, the much-anticipated
encounter quickly degenerated into a pitched battle, with two
players punished before the first ball had been thrown in.
The game, a hybrid of football developed to facilitate
international matches between Australian rules footballers and
Gaelic footballers, has come under fire in recent years for
increased use of physical force.
Brennan said yesterday's scenes were "completely unacceptable" before adding that "we have to reflect and review what happened".
It is understood the GAA will now consult with managers, players and various committees but that at the moment the president said the "series is hanging by a thread".
The GAA also apologised to all those who attended yesterday's match, particularly to the 20,000 children who viewed a contest in which Brennan described as "a major embarrassment to the organisation".
It remains to be seen if Ireland will send a team to compete in
Australia next year.
Australia secured this year's series with a 109-79 aggregate
triumph after yesterday's 69-31 win.