Sligo manager Peter Ford has expressed his concern that the fracas at the end of Sunday's National Football League match with Cavan be viewed "in context". Ford was at the far end of the ground when the incidents took place, but he has seen a video of the match.

"There's no doubt that it was unfortunate, but it would be a terrible thing if players end up with big suspensions," he said. "That would be unfair. It wasn't a serious outbreak. The fact that the throw-in was in front of the stand meant that it was in a dangerous place to start with, because the fence was so near when the match restarted.

"Everyone was crowded together and there were a lot of bodies around when the ball was thrown in. But the fellas were as much trying to disentangle each other from the fence and break up the fight. "I can't pre-empt what the GAC will do, but I hope that they will look at it in context, take the broader picture into account.

"I think this is a storm in a teacup," Ford added. "There was plenty of tension and it was a competitive match, but that was all."

The GAA has undertaken to act swiftly in the wake of the Division One B fixture at Markievicz Park. The scenes resulted in the sending-off of Sligo substitute Ken Killeen and Cavan corner back Rory Donoghue, but many other players were involved in the brawl.

Highlights of the match featured on Network 2's Sunday Sport programme that night. Croke Park reacted yesterday, issuing the following statement:

"As it has affirmed in any issue of indiscipline during the year, the GAA is committed to applying its rules vigorously and expeditiously in any and all incidents that arise. The incident in yesterday's Sligo v Cavan Allianz National Football League game will be addressed by the Games Administration Committee at its scheduled meeting next Wednesday night, when the referee's report and the video of the game will be considered."

Ford and his Cavan counterpart, Val Andrews, have every right to be concerned. The new disciplinary arrangements adopted by the GAA at this year's congress mean that any suspensions handed down by the GAC will run from the beginning of February. This was intended to prevent bans becoming meaningless during the down-period in December and January. As a result, players could find themselves out until the beginning of May.

The video evidence is straightforward in that the fracas can be seen developing after a throw-in, which followed a tussle between Donoghue and Paul Durcan. Whatever about those involved in the melee, it is likely that Cavan's centre forward, Larry Reilly, will have a case to answer as it was he and Killeen who were involved in the initial outbreak, although Donoghue was the one sent off - despite his vigorous protests.

Cavan complained that Reilly was pushed into the perimeter fence as a prelude to the brawl and that he was kicked when hostilities got under way. Further complaints about the referee's performance were not echoed by Sligo. Ford thought that referee Eugene Murtagh had officiated "consistently" throughout.

"I didn't notice him, which is as good a tribute as you can pay a referee," he said.

Padraig Duffy, the chairman of the GAC, said the committee had hoped to wrap up its year's business this week.

"This meeting was planned for Wednesday and we weren't expecting anything further coming to the end of the season, but that's changed now. We'll be considering the referee's report, and I have also asked RTE for a video of the match footage.

"This is the first free-for-all we've had to deal with - the situation in Antrim was a club match. To an extent there's always the danger of that at this time of the year. Conditions aren't that good and matches are sloppier. "We have to deal with this, but overall, in fairness to officials and players, I feel discipline has been better this year."

Murtagh's report will elaborate on the reasons for the dismissal of the two players and any other matters noticed during the match. Up until the end, it had been an entertaining spectacle.

Murtagh is no stranger to controversy. He was the official at the centre of complaints by Leitrim after their defeat by Offaly in last season's Division Two A match. It was claimed that the match was ended two minutes before the regulation 35 minutes had elapsed in the second half.