GAA appoint disciplinary committees

The GAA has announced the line-up of the two high-powered committees responsible for disciplinary matters over the course of the championship. A nine-member Central Disciplinary Committee (CDC) will adjudicate on all areas of misconduct and breaches of match regulations, while a Central Appeals Committee (CAC), which also has nine members, will handle any appeals arising from such decisions.

Last month the GAA president, Seán Kelly, hand-picked Con Hogan, a former chairman of the Tipperary County Board, to act as chairman of the CDC and the remaining members of both committees were also appointed rather than elected.

The nine members of the CDC are: Con Hogan, chairman (Tipperary), Pat O'Neill (Meath), John Heaphy (Monaghan), Gerry Mahon (Leitrim), Bob Honohan (Cork), Joe O'Shaughnessy (Wexford), Garrett O'Reilly (Cavan), Bernie O'Connor (Galway) and Billy Lenihan (Limerick).

The CAC will be chaired by former GAA president Seán McCague, and includes president-elect Nickey Brennan. It will hear all appeals made at central level, including all appeals that up to now were heard by Central Council, management committee and the GAC. Decisions will be final and binding, and will be subject only to a case being referred to arbitration under the disputes resolution code.

The nine members of CAC are: Seán McCague, chairman (Monaghan), Pádraig Brennan (Connacht), Nickey Brennan (Leinster), Christy Cooney (Munster), John O'Reilly (Ulster), John Greene (Longford), Michael Curley (Galway), Pat Flynn (Waterford) and Martin McAviney (Monaghan).

The establishment of the new committees came about with the splitting in responsibility of the old Games Administration Committee (GAC) into fixtures and discipline.

Fixture responsibilities now lie with the Central Games Administration Committee, which is chaired by Tony O'Keeffe, formerly the GAC chairman. The division in responsibility was given effect following a report of the games administration review and rule-book task forces and motions passed by Congress last month.

Though initially announced as interim committees to act until the Congress of 2006, Kelly has indicated they would, in fact, be more likely to remain for a three-year term. The GAA president added that the formation of these committees marked a significant change in the administration of the GAA's disciplinary procedures and appeals process.

"I anticipated that the system would be seen as effective, transparent and equitable," he said, "and in tandem with other measures taken would eliminate anomalies and inconsistencies that arose in the past."

One of the main reasons behind the establishment of the new central appeals committee and arbitration system was to find a way of fireproofing disciplinary procedures against legal challenges and the securing of temporary injunctions. It is also hoped the new system will end the growing concern of the GAA being taken to court by members hoping to set aside disciplinary decisions.

While the decisions of the new appeals committee is seen as final and binding, it is still subject to a case being referred to the new arbitration system under a disputes resolution code.

The arbitration system would only deal with any irregularities at hearings or appeals, and is designed specifically to replace anyone resorting to the courts for satisfaction.

A secretary will oversee the arbitration process, whose role would include the establishment of a 30-strong legal panel from which the tribunal panel would be selected.

The Munster Council, meanwhile, is now expecting a capacity crowd of around 53,000 for Sunday's Munster hurling championship semi-final between Waterford and Cork at Thurles. The repeat of the 2004 Munster decider - which Waterford won by a point - is proving just as attractive a year on.

It will be Saturday before the Munster Council know if any surplus tickets for the game at Semple Stadium come back into general circulation, but according to the Munster Council secretary, Simon Moroney, both Cork and Waterford are "are still shouting for more".

While any extra stand tickets are unlikely to appear, terrace tickets may still be available on the Sunday depending on availability. The game has a 2.30 throw-in, and will preceded by the Munster intermediate hurling semi-final between the same counties, which starts at 12.45.

Admission to Saturday's quarter-final replay between Limerick and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick will be by cash at the stiles, for both stands and terraces. The game will start at 6.30, with extra-time being played if the match ends level again after normal-time.

With 28,353 attending last Sunday's drawn match in Thurles, the advice from Munster Council press officer Willie O'Connor is to come early as the best stand tickets will be sold "on a first-come-first-served basis".

Tipperary County Board chairman Donal Shanahan has welcomed the decision of the Munster Council to reduce the admission prices across the board for the replay, saying it "recognises the importance of giving something back to the supporters of both counties". Admission prices are now 20 for the stands and €10 to the terraces.