THE GAA's Games Administration Committee (GAC) last night decided to investigate the disputed AthenrySt Joseph's All-Ireland club hurling semi-final - if Athenry formally object to the outcome.
Clare champions St Joseph's won the match by a point, but their Galway opponents maintain that a disallowed score struck by Cathal Moran was valid. Yesterday Athenry made a written submission to Croke Park claiming that video evidence has proved the attempt at a point was valid.
Earlier, club secretary Jarlath Cloonan released a statement outlining the position but it evidently stopped short of being an objection.
"The club are completely satisfied that a genuine score by Cathal Moran was not allowed which if given would have resulted in a draw. We have secured a videotape recording of the game which was on sale to the public and which confirms that the score was valid. We have ample eye-witness evidence, both neutral and otherwise, to that effect.
"We are satisfied that a genuine mistake occurred due to human error which has caused great disappointment to our players, members of our club and supporters. We have submitted our case to Croke Park authorities and we await developments."
Opponents St Joseph's have taken no official position on the controversy. Club secretary Steve Lahiffe said: "We have heard nothing officially from Croke Park and for us the match has been over since Sunday. At the moment we're looking for a hotel in Dublin on St Patrick's Day and getting ready for the final.
"Yes, we have been surprised by the controversy. I have only seen the incident from the video we did, but you can't make anything out from it. That is not a club opinion, but it is my personal view."
On a related topic, club captain Ollie Baker is definitely out of the Fitzgibbon Cup weekend starting tomorrow. Baker is captain of the Garda College club which is staging the competition and his absence is a severe blow to the host team's chances. "It is a serious loss," said team selector John Scanlon.
"We would have been up against it even with him playing and even more so without him."
Meanwhile, Meath propose a motion to tomorrow's Leinster Convention which urges priority be given to national television stations, RTE, TnaG and TV3, when allocating the future broadcasting rights to GAA matches. In the past, Croke Park has refused to rule out the possibility of negotiation with international satellite companies.
