Gaelic Football DisciplineLaois county board chairman Dick Miller could face the wrath of the Games Administration Committee for his involvement in the melee that broke out at the end of the All-Ireland minor football quarter-final against Cork on July 31st. Five Laois and two Cork players, and at least one selector, have also been summoned to Friday's disciplinary hearing.
According to the Laois Nationalist, Miller and a Cork official admitted at last Saturday's 3½-hour preliminary hearing to being involved in the altercation, which was caught by television cameras from TG4 and Chorus.
Miller, a local county councillor, is also chairman of the Laois GAC, a position that may prove untenable if he is found guilty of indiscipline. He may also have to step down as county chairman.
During his tenure O'Moore Park has been modernised and the debt within the Laois GAA has been eradicated.
Sources in Laois have complained that midfielder Brendan Quigley and goalkeeper Eoin Culliton, who are the only two players from the starting line-up called, could be lost to Laois football as a result of a prolonged ban.
Quigley, who also starred in last year's All-Ireland-winning minor side, was the first player to be struck in the brawl. He was a member of Ireland's successful under-18 International Rules team that toured Australia this year and player of the tournament. Once he turns 18 Aussie Rules franchises are free to offer a professional contract.
Culliton was the captain of Rockwell College's senior cup rugby team last year and has been offered a scholarship by a Limerick rugby club.
Of the other three, one was a substitute, while the other two were part of the development squad.
The game finished 1-9 each, thanks to a late point from senior panellist Donie Brennan, but such was the severity of the resulting fight, which lasted just over a minute, Mayo referee Michael Daly opted against playing the required extra time and effectively abandoned the match. It also became apparent the head wound suffered by the Cork doctor was accidental.
The Cork and Laois camps are believed to have pleaded for leniency at last week's GAC hearing in Dublin. The incident was analysed on video in front of the county representatives and they were asked to identify certain players and officials. They heard statements from officials and witnesses.
Neither county is expected to be thrown out of the All-Ireland series but heavy fines and suspensions may be imposed.
It's likely a rescheduled match will take place on Saturday week with Thurles providing an ideal backdrop, on the undercard of the intermediate hurling final, especially if Cork progress past Antrim in this weekend's semi-final. The winners will face Kerry on August 29th in Croke Park.
This is not the only outbreak of violence at minor level this year. In the All-Ireland minor hurling quarter-final, between Galway and Antrim at Parnell Park on July 24th, three players were shown red cards. Two came as a result of a 15-man fight in the first half. Undisclosed suspensions were handed out by the GAC.
With the dual-player controversy uppermost on the mind of Liam Kearns in reaching a final decision on whether to see out the remaining year of his contract as Limerick football manager, the county board has intimated they are to open talks with hurling manager Pad Joe Whelahan and his selectors Declan Nash and Damien Quigley in an attempt to defuse the row.
Last year Whelahan told the dual players in his squad they would not figure in his plans unless they gave him their total dedication. Kearns believes dual players should be allowed play at the highest level in both codes.
