Annoyed Kildare to fight

GAA: Officials of the Kildare County Board will be examining the full implications of Sligo's alleged breach of the player eligibility rule during their National Football League meeting earlier this month. Though it is too late to lodge an objection, the move is seen as clear response to an earlier claim by Sligo that Kildare breached the rule regarding team lists during the same game.

According to Kildare secretary Richie Whelan, the county has received information about Sligo's possible breach of Rule 32, which refers to player eligibility. The claim is that one of the players apparently played for both his Sligo club and a North American club last summer, but without proper sanction. Under Rule 32 players cannot represent more than one club in the same season.

"We've only got this information within the last day or so," said Whelan. "But we haven't had the chance yet to sit down and discuss it officially. So we're not sure yet what we can or will do next, or what the exact implications might be."

The GAA's Games Administration Committee (GAC) has already announced that officials from Kildare have been called before the next meeting on March 5th to explain their breach of Rule 109 during their NFL game with Sligo on February 9th. On that occasion, Kildare presented only 15 names on the official team sheet, and so by introducing substitutes (four on the actual day) they were in clear breach of the rule, the penalty for which is forfeiture of the game.

A breach of Rule 32 also includes a penalty where the game is awarded to the other team, and the ineligible player is suspended for three months. Kildare, however, needed to lodge a formal protest within three days for the offence to be properly acknowledged.

While accepting that any protest would now be outdated, Whelan also stated Kildare's intention ti pursue the alleged rule breach.

"To be honest we wouldn't normally follow up something like this once the date has been passed," said Whelan, "But the way we've been treated by Sligo makes it a little different."

The county officials are clearly annoyed at Sligo's reaction to the breach of Rule 109, which now seems likely to see Kildare docked the two points won against Sligo.

"To be complaining about the team list appears to us as very petty stuff," added Whelan. "We've always got many different team lists from counties, and we've yet to see the perfect one."

Whelan, however, was not giving up hope that the matter could be resolved without the loss of the league points.

"It depends now on what line the GAC take. We know that Sligo are not objecting to the result, although they clearly raised the matter for everyone's attention. So we'll just have to wait and see what the GAC decide the consequences should be."

The GAA, meanwhile, have agreed with the Australian Football League (AFL) the dates and venues for this year's International Rules Series.

The first game will take place in Perth's Subiaco Oval on Friday, October 24th, with the second game a week later in the MCG in Melbourne on Friday, October 31st. Both games will begin at around 7.30 p.m. (morning in Ireland), although exact starting times have yet to be confirmed.

The scheduling coincides perfectly with any Irish rugby supporters thinking of travelling to the World Cup. The second game in Melbourne will take place the day before Ireland play Australia in the Telstra Stadium, Melbourne.

Also taking place around the same time is Australia's Spring Racing Festival, with the main attraction of the Melbourne Cup on November 4th. Coca Cola have again been confirmed as the Irish team sponsors. Travel packages will be available from Abbey Travel, Dublin.

Although Ireland won both Tests played in Australia in 2001, where the venues were Melbourne and Adelaide, last October's series in Dublin was narrowly won by the Australians.

Also confirmed yesterday were the referees for the AIB All-Ireland club finals at Croke Park on St Patrick's Day. Seáníe McMahon of Clare will referee the hurling final between Birr and Dunloy, which has a 2.0 throw-in, while Cavan's Brian Crowe will take charge of the football decider between Nemo Rangers and Crossmolina, starting at 3.40.

Saturday's throw-in time for the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup, to be played at the Ragg, in Tipperary, has been set for 2.30 - with Cork IT meeting Waterford IT. The Ryan Cup semi-finals will be played tomorrow, with Tipperary Institute taking on Cork College FE (Littleton, 1.0) and Athlone IT meeting DCU (Boherlahan, 2.30), with the final also to be played in the Ragg on Saturday (1.0).