GAA: The Games Administration Committee of the GAA will make no immediate comment on the incident in which Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin sustained an eye injury requiring surgery. This is because the report of referee Pat Horan is not due until today and no decision can be made until that is reviewed by the committee. Seán Moran reports.
But assuming the referee did not see the incident, as he took no action at the time, there is likely to be recourse to video evidence. Viewers of the weekend's Sunday Game saw in some detail the incident between Shefflin and Clare's Gerry Quinn.
Both players are waiting for the ball and before it arrives Quinn is seen pulling back his hurl so that the butt goes through the Kilkenny player's visor and causes the injury.
Shefflin was incensed both at the injury and the fact no action was taken on the matter.
The routine now to be followed by GAC will be to consider the referee's report, if necessary ask for and take into account any clarifications on that report and then look at any video evidence.
The danger in some people's minds is that the current GAC has been reluctant to intervene post hoc in relation to incidents during matches. But on this occasion, with Horan apparently having missed the incident - play continued up the field after Quinn cleared the ball - there would seem ample justification even by these non-interventionist standards to take action.
Next Saturday is the next scheduled meeting of the GAC and action is unlikely to be taken ahead of that date. Some items of business can be transacted on the telephone but a matter as important as this will be dealt with in committee.
The likelihood is Quinn will be called to account for his action and should he be found to have breached rules, faces a lengthy suspension. Striking with the hurl carries a minimum suspension of 12 weeks but Rule 138 (4) provides for longer suspensions having "due regard for the gravity" of offences.
As has been mentioned, Quinn was at the centre of a controversy two years ago when his hand was broken at the end of Clare's All-Ireland semi-final win over Waterford. Both the player and his county declined to name the aggressor and a GAC investigation failed to uncover his identity.
Although Quinn recovered in time to play in the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, there was ill feeling in the county that the case was never resolved.
Meanwhile Kilkenny are naturally anxious - now that immediate concerns about the health of his eye have been allayed - that Shefflin should be available for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford.
County secretary Pat Dunphy outlined the situation with regard to the player, who although off-form on Sunday is regarded as perhaps the best hurler in the country.
"He was discharged from hospital and is at home at the moment. We're hopeful that the operation will prove successful and that he'll be as good as before.
"We're playing it by ear at the moment as regards his fitness for the weekend and a decision will be made towards the end of the week. We're training tomorrow (Tuesday), Wednesday and Friday. There's no other injury concerns, just a few bruises and ice packs."
• The death has taken place of former Kilkenny County Board chairman Nicky Purcell at the age of 79. He also served for many years as the county's delegate to Central Council. Before retirement he was company secretary with Avonmore, current sponsors of the Kilkenny team.
