ST VINCENT'S were fined £2,000, a record sum for a club, by the Dublin County Board's disciplinary committee last night.
The fine arises from incidents in a Dublin senior league match against Thomas Davis in May. The Thomas Davis club were fined £250.
In addition, St Vincent's are to lose home advantage for the next three games and both clubs must meet at neutral venues whenever they are fixed to play each other over the next two years.
Dave Billings, the St Vincent's delegate, proposed that the disciplinary committee's proposals be ruled out of order on technical grounds, but this was defeated by 29 votes to seven.
The Dublin board decided to hold an investigation into an off the ball incident in a tournament match in which former county footballer Kieran Duff was injured.
It was agreed that Dublin field teams in both the Leinster under 21 football and hurling championships this year. The Dublin senior hurling selectors to team up with newly selected manager Michael O'Grady are Tommy Naughton (Scoil Ui Chonaill) and Johnny Thompson (O'Tooles).
Derry and Tyrone field understrength and unfamiliar sides when the counties clash in the National League at Celtic Park next Sunday. Consequently what looked, the plum attraction of Sunday's opening rounds has now been relegated to a run of the mill affair.
If Tyrone's Peter Canavan does not play, and at this stage his return to action before Christmas seems in doubt, his absence would be acceptable given the slow recovery of his ankle injury.
Brian Mullins and his Derry selectors, however, have approved of sabbaticals for more than half of the established team.
Such a lengthy period away from the limelight makes selector Frank Kearney's admission all the more curious: "We are resting our players so that they can revitalise themselves for later on," he said.
New Tyrone manager Danny Ball has dropped a number of players from his panel, not least last year's captain Ciaran Corr.
Several newcomers have been drafted in. They include under 21s Ronan Rocks, Paul McFlynn, Ronan McGuckin and Adrian McGuckin - sons of Adrian senior.
Meath and Mayo will ponder a while longer before naming their teams for Sunday's opening league encounters. The outcome of tomorrow's GAC meeting could prove relevant in terms of availability.
Meath, so far without Colm Coyle, and Mayo, minus Liam McHale, face Cavan and Monaghan respectively.
Down, winners of two All Irelands - this decade, encounter the new, if unenviable, experience of operating in Division Three football this season.
They open in unfamiliar territory against Wexford in Newry and are likely to be without Gregory McCartan, who had to retire with a thigh strain in a challenge against Dublin at the weekend.
McCartan's partner at midfield in recent seasons, Conor Deegan will line out at full back, where he played in the 1991 All Ireland final against Meath. Speculation regarding Deegan's move to Dublin club football is now connected with the St Vincent's club.
Cavan's caretaker manager, Donal, Donohue, acting on behalf of Martin McHugh, is faced with some demoralising prospects ahead of Sunday's debut in Division One. Ciaran Brady, their attacking wing back, is under suspension following his sending off in Sunday's Ulster club championship and his Gowna clubmates Dermot McCabe and Bernard Morris are injured as a result of that game.
