Bad day for the GAA is consensus

Reaction to the decision to lift suspensions on Dublin and Tyrone players.

John O'Mahony (Former Galway manager)

"I was totally surprised when I heard they got off, and to me it leaves the GAA's disciplinary situation in a shambles. This just isn't a good day for the GAA, and no one seems to be on a firm footing in the various committees. That just amazes me.

"I think it's no good for the players either, because when they go out on to the field they need to know what they can and cannot do. So I don't see anyone who will benefit from this. The players or managers or referees. It's definitely not good for the image of the GAA either.

"Maybe it will take a few years for the CDC to settle down, but they'll clearly have to fine-tune some things, and maybe eventually we'll have the perfect system. But they're taking a very rocky road. This was supposed to be an improvement on what was there before, but you have to wonder about that.

"But if things are to improve it needs to happen quickly. It was a very technical point obviously but that's no good either. The championship is coming on fast, so this couldn't have happened at a worse time either. We had the issue with Ryan McMenamin last summer and now this, so it really does reflect badly on the GAA's ability to handle indiscipline."

John O'Keeffe (Former Kerry player)

"My initial reaction was one of amazement. I was so surprised that this could happen. It does send out a very poor message about the GAA, but also to the young people involved in the game. It shouldn't be that players get off after something as serious as this.

"To me it's just not good enough. I think if players behave like that on the field they should be seen to pay some price, and take the consequences. Obviously that's not the case here, the fact that none of them are doing the time which they deserved to get from day one.

"So that sends totally the wrong example to the youth. We see it nearly every year at club level and other levels where we tend to get these free-for-alls. If our elite players can't lead by good example, and if the disciplinary procedures break down so easily, and so badly, that doesn't augur well for the future.

"This whole thing leaves you wondering about any future occurrences, but if anything it just shows that all these different disciplinary bodies will have to get their house in order, and make sure it doesn't happen again. But it's definitely not a good day for the GAA.

Martin Carney, RTÉ commentator

"I think I was more saddened than shocked when I heard the players got off. It screams of the GAA's inability to police its own affairs, and to carry out its duties in the way you would expect. And it's all down to a simple procedural problem within the CDC.

"Surely an eminent nine-member committee should have been able to handle this. There are a lot of capable people on it, so it's very dispiriting that they can't follow procedures to make sure proper suspensions are handed down as constituted.

"The wider message being sent out here is that players can get away with anything. If you're coaching a young team, you make sure they respect the game above all else, that they respect the referee and the rules of the game. If you go beyond those rules, there needs to be some sanction, but this shows that it has become practically impossible to do that.

"If anything, setting up the three-tier disciplinary committee effectively gives players three separate ways to get out of their problems. As far as I can see they've made the situation worse, because this is the second time in a year that the CDC have been seen to be incapable of enforcing the necessary suspensions.

"The other sad thing is that this is a huge embarrassment to Seán Kelly as he comes to the end of his presidency, and I know there are a large number of officials within the GAA who will be quite happy with that. I just hope that had nothing to do with it."