Clare county secretary Pat Fitzgerald has responded to Donie Nealon's defence of the Munster Council by reiterating the position he adopted in his December report to the county's annual convention. Nealon, in his address to the Munster Council's convention on Friday, justifies the provincial council's actions in relation to the three-month suspension of Clare hurler Colin Lynch after incidents in last July's Munster final replay.

"We'd prefer now that we're in the new year to leave it behind. It's over," said Fitzgerald. "I dealt with it in my report and I regarded that as closing the chapter. That's what we would have preferred. Donie obviously feels obliged to address the issue from his point of view, but I feel I've been pretty accurate in my description of what happened. Our problem has been the inconsistency of the approach to discipline, the things that weren't dealt with."

Nealon's account of the matter, in his address, is: "I want to state categorically that the (Munster) GAC on this occasion adopted the very same procedures as it has often done in the past with similar referee's reports, i.e., video evidence is used, clarification is sought from the referee and his officials, members of the council present at the game give their views and the player is properly charged with an offence and given seven days notice of the hearing of the case.

"Our decisions and procedures in 1995 (i.e., Tipperary v Waterford game) were appealed by Tipperary, as they were by Colin Lynch this time, and both appeals failed at Croke Park level, and in addition at High Court level also on this occasion when an injunction was sought to prevent our GAC dealing with the matter, all for the very same reasons, i.e., that the council's GAC acted correctly and in a fair and impartial manner in imposing the minimum suspension in accordance with Official Guide rules."

Later he states: "The council is not an insensitive, corrupt body, as so described on Clare FM, and has no hidden agenda against Clare or any other county. But it must be understood that there can be no ambiguity as regards serious acts of misbehaviour on the field of play."

Nealon also calls for the centralisation of all disciplinary matters arising from senior championship matches, including the appointment of referees, the processing of the referees' reports and anything arising therefrom, and to deal with any other breaches of regulations.

Fitzgerald's report to the Clare convention last December 20th maintained that Colin Lynch had been the victim of a "media witch-hunt", but more plausibly argued that the player had been a victim of inconsistent application of the rules on video evidence.

"Lynch was nailed on video evidence while other incidents during the championship, both inside and outside the province, went unpunished. If the authorities are going down that road then the treatment has to be fair and equitable, and as we all know that was not the case in 1998."

He went on to draw attention to a number of incidents which occurred during the championship.

"The Limerick-Cork (hurling) game when two players were guilty of kicking and no action was taken; Waterford manager Gerald McCarthy was reported by the referee for abusing one of his officials and was not suspended; team managers and officials from other counties were in flagrant breach of the rules regarding field incursions, yet those offences went unpunished."

He also referred to the Clare-Offaly replay when Offaly players Michael Duignan and Johnny Pilkington escaped censure for serious fouls. "Both were fortunate to remain on the field . . . Clearly the GAA should take action if they are to be seen to be fair and dole out equitable treatment."

Meanwhile, Ulster also stages its annual convention this weekend. Secretary Danny Murphy refers to both the Belfast Agreement - "The past year has witnessed an air of hope and optimism throughout the community. The signing of the Good Friday Agreement promised a new approach to the solving of the problems that have caused division and conflict for too many years" - and the Omagh bombing - "Our society needs to find a better way than that demonstrated in Omagh in August. The explosion wreaked havoc on many people young and old and even the unborn.

"The association sympathised with the bereaved and injured of Tyrone, Donegal and Spain. We are indebted to all who helped at that sad time . . . Our earnest wish is that our community is motivated to working for a brighter future that has respect as its shield and peace at its heart."

Curiously, he omits any reference to the special congress on Rule 21, held last May, at which Ulster counties were instrumental in defeating the motion for abolition of the contentious provision which prohibits members of the Northern security forces from membership of the GAA.

Murphy gives a relatively cool reception to the revived International Rules series against Australia.

"The renewal of the International Rules series with Australia for four years has brought the need for an international dimension into focus. There are many varied opinions on the matter, but we should reserve judgment until the current four-year involvement is concluded. One thing, however, is that our football game should not be compromised by any involvement with Australian Rules."