The three Cork hurlers hit with one-month bans for their part in the brawl before the Munster championship quarter-final on May 26th have launched a scathing attack at the GAA disciplinary system.
Donal Óg Cusack, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, along with four Clare players, each received four-week suspensions from the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) following the ugly scenes in Semple Stadium. These bans were subsequently upheld on appeal.
In a statement released to the Irish Examinernewspaper last night, the Cork players admitted that the incident should not have occurred and apologised for their involvement but added that they "do not endorse the findings or procedures used in the new disciplinary system."
"We are very concerned at the way this matter has been handled by the GAA, and not just because our attempts to successfully defend ourselves failed," they added.
"Let us not mince our words here: there can be no player confidence in a system that allows video footage to be selectively used resulting in players, whether guilty or not, to be treated in this fashion, while others are not even charged, let alone sanctioned, in respect of televised incidents arising on the same day."
They also claimed there was "a general anti-Cork bias displayed in this matter."
Meanwhile, appeals held last night by the Central Appeal's Committee on behalf of three of the four Clare hurlers involved were rejected.
Barry Nugent, Colin Lynch and Andrew Quinn failed in a bid to have their bans overturned, meaning they will still miss the first round of the qualifying series.
As Alan Markham was unable to attend, the committee can hear an
appeal on his behalf at a later date if so required.
Full statement released to the
Irish Examineron behalf of Donal Óg Cusack, Diarmuid
O'Sullivan and Sean Óg Ó hAilpín
"We would like to make a number of comments in relation to recent events but first, we wish to apologise for our parts in the incident in Thurles before the recent Munster Hurling championship match against Clare.
"This apology is sincerely given and we regret we were in any way involved in an incident of this nature. We believe our respective records over ten seasons each as inter-county players, say far more about our discipline than any statement we can now make, but we would not wish ever to be in this position again.
"We accept that we should not have been involved at all; however it is difficult to resist the urge to defend yourself or your team-mates, especially when there seems to be no-one in charge. We have looked at our parts in the incident in a self-critical manner and will learn from it. We do not believe that we deserved a month's suspension for our parts, or if we did, we did not deserve it any more than any other players. It seems that, as evidenced by a recent article, those involved in putting the new disciplinary procedures in place, let alone those administering them, felt pressurised into taking action, to satisfy the media.
"We are very concerned at the way this matter has been handled by the GAA, and not just because our attempts to successfully defend ourselves failed. We think that it is extremely unfair that in response to media-led demands, and whether by way of recommendation, decision or otherwise, there can be a public 'finding' of guilt against any player before he is even asked about the incident, let alone asked whether he accepts blame or the sanction flowing from it.
"It was disappointing for us that the GAA authorities were not big enough to resist the pressure that was placed upon them. That, of course, must be a concern for all GAA members.
"We do not endorse the findings or procedures used in the new disciplinary system and more importantly, we find it absolutely extraordinary that the president of the Association would implicitly attack us and our county board for staying within the GAA in an effort to defend ourselves, and for using those very procedures set up to discourage players from going to the courts.
"The fact that we contacted our solicitor before anybody else and were advised that court action could be taken is very important, given that we decided in the interests of the GAA in general, and Cork hurling in particular, not to take it.
"It seems that as far as some commentators are concerned we are not only guilty of being thugs, we are morally reprehensible for trying to say that we are not thugs, whether under the current system or otherwise.
"The GPA has stated that it will be looking at this issue in its discussions with Croke Park, but it is imperative, in our view, that the comments of the President, at the precise time they were made, be made central to those discussions. Let us not mince our words here; there can be no player confidence in a system which allows video footage to be selectively used resulting in players, whether guilty or not, to be treated in this fashion, while others are not even charged, let alone sanctioned, in respect of televised incidents arising on the same day; when it is unanimously accepted by the very same media that they were guilty (or as guilty as some elements of the media seem to deem necessary) of assaults, let alone 'contributing to a melee'".
"Also from a player point of view, it was disappointing for us that Croke Park actually added to the media frenzy rather than taking the heat out of the situation. At one stage during the process, sections of the media were made aware of a cancelled meeting over an hour before we were informed — while, in fact, we were in transit to that meeting, having taken a day off work specifically for that purpose. There was constant leaking of what was going on in the background; this would suggest to us that Croke Park feel they owe more care and duty toward the media than the player.
"We believe that there has been a general anti-Cork bias displayed in this matter (regardless of what is done to the Clare players with whom we have no gripe and who, like us, have honoured their agreement not to seek to defend themselves by incriminating opponents, but who did not face a Munster semi-final) and a bias against the GPA (so well illustrated by the comments of GAA Presidential hopeful Sean Fogarty of Tipperary in a cheap electioneering stunt) and a bias against our county Secretary, Frank Murphy."