THE Games Administration Committee of the GAA have placed the onus on county boards and have sought the co-operation of the New York Board to help unravel the tangle created by Irish based players who participated illegally in the New York football final on November 2nd.

County boards have been requested to submit the names of any players whom they may feel played in the New York game without getting clearance to play.

The deadline for this information is January 8th, the date of the GAC's next meeting.

In answer to those county secretaries who have tended to distance themselves from the issue on the grounds that they have not been officially informed of any irregularity by players under their control, the GAC are emphatic that ignorance of the law will not be an issue in any defence.

The New York Board, similarly requested by the GAC, have offered their full co-operation in the matter, according to a GAC spokesman.

But, in view of comments attributed to the New York Board's final referee, John Markey, in the New York Irish Echo, identifying players on the evidence of the official match team-sheets could create additional problems.

Markey, formerly of Down, insists that the Croke Park authorities would have difficulty in proving anything "beyond reasonable doubt," against some Irish based players who have been mentioned in connection with the match which he refereed.

The corollary of false names on the said team-sheets could lead to obvious repercussions and require even more serious questions than any already asked to be answered.

There is no such problems regarding the four Kerry players who have already admitted to playing in the game. Any action that is likely to be taken against these players could indeed have been finalised at Wednesday's GAC meeting but it was decided, and discreetly so, that it would not be altogether correct to treat them in isolation". A total of nine players are considered to be involved.

The urgency of the matter and the importance of the full co-operation of county boards was underlined by the association's PRO Danny Lynch yesterday. -It is very important for all the facts of any irregularities be made clear by all 32 county boards before the GAC conclude this business at next month's meeting," said Lynch. "Otherwise you could end up with objections against illegal players all over the place in League and championship."

The one assured aspect in the whole affair is that the Kerry players have acted honestly and perhaps, by extension, wisely. Their prompt reaction in admitting any wrong-doing could yet warrant mitigation. In the circumstances, - anything more than the standard six months suspension, dating from the date of the New York game would be deemed harsh. A six months ban would allow them to be eligible for Kerry by early May.

Players are likely to be suspended from the day of their last match and in this context it is interesting to note the action already taken by Armagh and Donegal in excluding certain players from recent National League ties.

The New York Board's co-operation in this matter was confirmed by a Croke Park spokesman yesterday. In the context of county boards, instant attention is obviously going to be focused on Cavan, Armagh and Donegal arising from alleged New York participation by players from these counties.

The relevant request made by the GAC to each county board is basically that the names of players whom they, the county boards, may feel irregular in this issue, be submitted to Croke Park. The boards are expected to react and furnish Croke Park with details following their December meetings.

Meanwhile, Longford have a full forward problem for Sunday's replay of the All-Ireland B football championship with Fermanagh. David Sheridan is still troubled by a leg injury picked up against Down in their last League match and is very doubtful.

Already Longford manager Eamonn Coleman has had to reshuffle his attack with Ciaran Fox moving to left corner forward. Padraig Davis, who had flu prior to the drawn game and had to be left out, resumes at right half forward with Cathal Conefrey - who did well enough when coming on as a substitute in the drawn match - retained at left half. Mark McNamara and Brendan Donoghue lose out.

It was confirmed yesterday that the game will go ahead at Carrick-on-Shannon pending a pitch inspection tomorrow.