All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Although the first ball was kicked last Sunday in Navan, the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Football Championship launch took place yesterday.
Intercounty managers Joe Kernan, Paul Caffrey, Jack O'Connor and John Maughan joined GAA president Seán Kelly in the Bank's House of Lords room on College Green with all present dwarfed by life-sized tapestries of William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne and the Siege of Derry.
While MC Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh attempted to draw battle lines, Kelly called on all managers to consider some pertinent issues this summer. Referees and the media gaining special attention. He asked manager's to avoid criticising referees and stated the referee committee has been recommended to take a severe approach to off the ball and third-man tackling.
Managers were also asked to trust players in their interaction with journalists, as those who wish to do endorsements need the profile that comes with it.
"There should be no blanket ban on the media. This is more a reflection on their own manager's confidence."
He welcomed the intercounty panel reverting to 30, after the drop to 24 in 2004, but asked for a balance in availability between club and county, especially those not playing regularly at the higher level.
Strangely, the near return of the fist pass at congress was discussed for a prolonged period despite no manager seeing it as a major issue. The last time it was in force was back in 1971. Maughan suggested it was only a close vote at congress because of delegate's average age. Kernan said he would welcome its return.
The return of the Tommy Murphy Cup this year for the minnow county was noted. The final is in August at Croke Park with the winners playing in New York on October 3rd. "It ensures county's at least three games in the summer and that's very important," said Kelly.
The managers present unsurprisingly revealed little of note, all four naturally reluctant to look past the first hurdle.
When Ó Muircheartaigh pressed them for predictions the Armagh and Mayo men plumped for Kerry, the Kerry man went with Armagh, while the Dublin man said one or the other.
Kelly also confirmed that the new central appeals committee will be set up at the central council meeting on Friday week. The first appeal on the agenda will be Monaghan's Rory Woods, who received a 12-week ban recently after being sent off in the National Football League semi-final against Derry.
"I always felt appeals going to management of central council were not really getting an opportunity," said Kelly. "You were trying to get your head around what the problem was and they were out the door again. There was really no chance to assess it and be objective. Some of the cases were being dealt with by people from the same county or a county they were playing against so we are trying to get a more objective system."
The GAC officially splits this weekend into separate fixture and disciplinary arms. The new disciplinary committee chairman is Con Hogan of Tipperary.
