Clare selectors Tony Considine and Michael McNamara have been banished to the stand for the All-Ireland hurling semi-final replay against Offaly at Croke Park on Saturday week. The punishments were handed out by the GAA's Games administration Committee (GAC) yesterday.
According to the official statement from Croke Park, the bans were given out "following a number of unauthorised intrusions during the drawn game" last Sunday.
McNamara said: "These bands are completely illogical and without a proper understanding of the situation down there on the sideline. The noise level makes for such a din that it's impossible to get any messages to a player out on the field.
"I just wish that those officials would come down and try to do the job which we are faced with in these very difficult situations and then they might change their tune. Neither Tony or myself wanted to do anything that might cause problems for officials and it's grossly unfair that we are being punished for doing our job."
The bans puts additional pressure on manager Ger Loughnane for the replay. Loughnane, who was forced to watch last Sunday's game from the stand after he received a ban following the Munster final replay, will have to be careful on his return to sideline duties next Saturday week. The GAC have shown their intent to clamp down by yesterday's announcement and Loughnane will have to watch his step or he may find himself banned for the final should Clare progress.
The GAC also fined the Clare county board £6,500 for breaches of match regulations. A total of £13,000 has been levied in fines by the GAC on teams which played in the All-Ireland senior and minor hurling championships to date and further punishments are expected to follow. Offaly were fined £4,500, Waterford £800 and Galway and Wexford £600 each.
The fines have been imposed for breaches of the regulations laid down by Croke Park in regard to encroachment by officials, water and hurley carriers during the All-Ireland senior and minor hurling quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The GAC refused to reveal a breakdown of the fines. It is understood, however, that a fine of £2,500 has been imposed on Clare for breaches of the sidelines by water carriers, while a fine of £400 was imposed because a second medical person came on without permission late in the match.
The Croke Park fine comes on top of a £2,500 fine imposed by the Munster council for similar incursions during the Munster final and replay. The Offaly county board is also reported to be furious with the decision to impose fines totalling £3,500 for breaches of the regulations during the quarter-final match against Antrim, with a further £1,000 fine for problems arising out of last Sunday's match.
In addition, Clare minor team officials, Kevin Kennedy and Fergal O'Loughlin, have been excluded from the pitch for their first match in next year's 1999 minor championship.
Warnings have also been issued to officials from Offaly (3), Waterford (2) as well as Clare and Wexford (1). The names of those warned have not been released.
