Boylan and Lyons back bans

FORMER MEATH manager Seán Boylan believes the penalties proposed for both Meath and Dublin following Sunday's melee in Parnell Park are neither surprising nor excessive. This view was supported by former Dublin manager Tommy Lyons, who did, however, defend the recent disciplinary record of his former charges.

"What happened on Sunday just was not acceptable," said Boylan. "The whole thing was so totally unprovoked, it was just pure nonsense. And I'm sure the lads are in no way proud about getting involved in it either. Everybody must take responsibility for themselves.

"As recently as last congress, Nickey Brennan said discipline was going to be acted upon, and we've seen, right through, the league referees have been very strict. And I think for people to say this is only happening because it's Meath and Dublin is irrelevant.

"I think we'd be having this same discussion no matter what counties were involved. Throughout the league we've seen how quick referees have acted to any unsportsmanlike behaviour. Remember, we had 11 yellow cards on Sunday as well."

The proposed suspensions would see five Meath players miss two championship matches, with four Dublin players missing one championship match, and this, said Boylan, shouldn't be seen as excessive time for the crime.

"It's tough, very tough. And you hate to see players suspended like that, not allowed to play the game. But the truth of the matter is, the referee didn't hit anybody. You're not supposed to get involved. Maybe it didn't count up to this, but it counts now. And players have been warned so often about it. And now when it does happen people get annoyed, naturally, and I'd be annoyed if I was a player, at being caught, and annoyed at doing it, more importantly.

"Of course the county board can do what is within their right to stand up for the players. But if somebody has been caught, running 30 or 40 metres to get involved, then it's a dear lesson, but there's no one to blame but yourself. So let's not starting finding fault with a committee that acted so promptly to get this thing resolved. These days we have the cameras, that show all these things, so you can't fault the powers-that-be for trying to do what's right for the association."

Boylan highlighted another unacceptable aspect to Sunday's game which he himself experienced in the Parnell Park stand: "What I really didn't like about it, and for the first time, was the hostility among the supporters. That's something we never had with Meath and Dublin, in the height of all the tough battles."

Lyons was equally uncompromising in his views: "It was unforgivable what happened in Parnell Park, from a player perspective. Nobody can condone it, nobody can accept it as part of our game. That goes without saying.

"But what was unacceptable about last Sunday was that as the row was just about finished, after about 40 seconds, it started again. Maybe they're the guys getting the eight weeks, rather that four, for when the row reignited. That was the really unacceptable part, more than the first part, while both were unacceptable. If the eight weeks are for the guys that started it a second time, fine.

"On top of that, you cannot but say that for the last four to six weeks, the president of the association has been nothing but consistent on the discipline word. If he's to have any credibility, this was bound to happen. While eight players from each team seems unbelievable, I'm not surprised this is what the CCCC went for."

However, Lyons was less convinced about the ensuing claims that Dublin have an increasing disciplinary problem: "You have to be careful when making those assumptions. I know Alan Brogan very well, and if somebody tells me that Alan Brogan threw a box up in Armagh unprovoked then I'll eat my hat.

"Bryan Cullen, equally, got sent off there recently, and nobody can tell me that Bryan Cullen is a dirty player. I was hammered in the media, by everybody, when I said it was maybe unwise for Stephen Cluxton to get himself sent off back in 2004.

"People have to be careful, and people have to be balanced . . . . I think people are quite prepared to go with the flow, and the flow right now is hammer Dublin, and hammer the Dublin management.

"I don't know what goes on in the dressingroom anymore. But Paul Caffrey is a good friend of mine, and I never in my three years dealing with the man ever, ever heard him telling fellas to do that. And I'd be very surprised if he started now."