Sir, - Surely it's time to introduce a properly constructed, disciplinary system for the All-Ireland Football Championship. A card system, like that used in the recent European Soccer Championship, seems ideal.
Bookings should accumulate from game to game, with two bookings meaning that the offender automatically misses the next championship game. A player sent off should be suspended for the next championship game.
Currently, bookings do not carry forward to subsequent games. Also, if a player is sent off and receives the minimum punishment of two weeks' suspension, there is every chance that he will not miss any game of consequence. In fact, Gaelic games are unique in that a two-week suspension only lasts 13 days!
This would make players think twice about committing the type of offences that have ruined this year's football championship. - Yours, etc.,
Dunluce Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3.