GAELIC GAMES/Roscommon Saga: Roscommon players Frankie Dolan and Nigel Dineen have admitted they were at the centre of incidents involving the football panel at a hotel in Derry last month after the team had played a challenge match against Donegal. Revelations of misconduct were published in last weekend's Sunday People.

They included security camera footage of two players undressing in the pool room and playing a game of 'nude pool' in the early hours of the morning. Some damage was done to the Waterfoot Hotel in Derry and guests were disturbed but the matter was settled by the Roscommon County Board.

A statement from the county players last night identified the players involved on the night in question just over two weeks ago.

"Nigel Dineen and Frankie Dolan would like to acknowledge that they were the players involved in alleged incidents in a Derry hotel three weeks ago. We make this acknowledgement because we are concerned that the story and pictures which were published in a Sunday newspaper have damaged the preparation of the Roscommon senior football team for our crucial championship match against Galway next Sunday.

"We wish to publicly state our apology to our families, our teammates, the team management, the county board and above all our loyal supporters for the embarrassment caused. Our behaviour was misguided and regrettable. However, we would also like to make clear that the tone of the newspaper article greatly exaggerated the extent of the incidents and that no other guests in the hotel or members of the hotel staff were affected by what happened."

Caroline Ayton, joint proprietor of the Waterfoot, told The Irish Times yesterday that there had been complaints from other guests who had been staying in the hotel that night but that neither she nor the hotel had been contacted by the Sunday People prior to publication of the account two days ago. She also said that she didn't know how the CCTV film had got into the possession of the newspaper.

"My business partner was on duty that night and he has been away in the meantime but I can confirm that no one from the Sunday People spoke to me last week about this. I don't know if the newspaper article is completely accurate but we did have problems with horseplay and some of our residents were disturbed out of their sleep.

"We haven't had this sort of trouble before and many other GAA teams have stayed here as well as rugby and football teams. But there was nothing violent and the place wasn't smashed up. We haven't released anything to the Sunday People and aren't happy with the coverage."

The players' statement, however, went on to emphasise alleged exaggerations in the piece.

"We do, however, wish to refute some of the allegations made against us by the newspaper. At no stage did we or any of our teammates engage in the riotous behaviour alleged. No guests in the hotel were affected by our behaviour and we would like to assure everyone that the more lurid suggestions made are the work of someone's imagination."

Among the allegations denied is that beds were urinated on. A bin was broken and beer flung across a bedroom which ruined a mattress. Roscommon chairman Stephen Banaghan asked to see the camera footage before publication when contacted by the Sunday People last week but his request was declined.

The unwelcome publicity comes less than a week before Roscommon begin the defence of their Connacht title in a historic clash between provincial champions and All-Ireland champions from the same province.

Team manager John Tobin said yesterday that he was disappointed by the furore and that the incidents were "stupid and silly". He did underline that the behaviour of his players had been exemplary since he took over 18 months ago and that the incidents complained of had been the responsibility of only two players.

County secretary Tom Mullaney issued a statement on behalf of the county board announcing that disciplinary procedures would be initiated in the form of an investigation into what had occurred.

He said that apologies had been made to the hotel and that the bill would be settled. Despite the sensational nature of the story's treatment on the front cover and over four pages inside, the figure for damage has been estimated at around £200 by Roscommon, a figure broadly confirmed by the hotel.

Mullaney declined to expand on the possible disciplinary measures facing the players. Both Dolan and Dineen are highly rated forwards.

It's not the first time Dolan has got into trouble on camera. In last year's Connacht final, he was caught on TV reacting so histrionically to a challenge that Mayo's Ray Connelly was sent off - a red card later rescinded by the Games Administration Committee.