THE controversy over the illegal participation of players in this year's New York football final has been further blurred by a contribution from the match referee, John Markey.
Markey, from Down, says in a piece for the New York Irish Echo that Croke Park will be hard pressed to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that any player took part illegally simply on the basis of the names which appeared on the team sheets.
One of the players alleged to have been involved, Fintan Cahill of Cavan, may have his case heard by the Games Administration Committee (GAC) tomorrow night. He could faced six month ban.
Ironically, the Cavan selectors meet the same night to choose the side to face Derry in Kingscourt in Sunday's division one clash, and Cahill would almost certainly be named.
The secretary of the Cavan county board, Gerry Soden, said yesterday he has been told nothing officially about any allegation against Cahill. Soden also denies reports that Cahill went before the county board last Thursday to give his account of events.
Minutes after Soden asserted yesterday that Cahill has as good a chance as anybody else of playing on Sunday "it is a matter for the selectors" - the word from Croke Park was that the New York affair would bed dealt with "there and then" by the GAC tomorrow night.
The GAC chairman, Sean O Laoire, confirmed that the New York item is on the agenda, but he did not wish to "pre empt any decision that would be made".
O Laoire said: "This is a regular meeting of the GAC, contrary to what has appeared in the papers. It's not a meeting to deal with any particular matters, it's a regular GAC meeting at which we will be trying to get an opportunity to review the year.
"It has been a very busy year and you would never know what particular item would take off and lead to a detailed discussion," he said.
Brian Canavan, despite promises, earlier last week, left Ciaran McGeeney out of the Armagh side which beat Monaghan on Sunday. Canavan insisted he would include McGeeney, who is alleged to have played in New York without clearance.
A ninth player, from Donegal, is alleged to have committed the same offence. Already his county teammates John Ban Gallagher and Manus Boyle have been rested by manager PJ McGowan as a precautionary measure.
The GAC is also expected to deal, with the four Kerry players who have admitted their involvement in New York Sean Geaney, Dara O Cinneide, Dara O Se and Fergal O Se. No appeals are expected against any punishment.
Meanwhile, Derry will review their team tomorrow night ahead of Sunday's deferred league clash with Cavan. Defender Kieran McKeever, who missed the original fixture because of a damaged jaw bone, is likely to be included in an expected reshuffle which could also see Anthony Tohill drafted into midfield.
Tohill has not played since the first round against Tyrone in October, and is anxious now to test his knee after a minor operation he had shortly after that game. He may not start, but is likely to be involved at some stage.
Ulster secretary Michael Feeney, has confirmed that the replay of the Ulster club football final between Bellaghy (Derry) and Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) will go ahead on Sunday next in Clones.
That the match clashes with the Derry Cavan game at Kingscourt, provoked some annoyance at Derry County Board level. The club replay is timed for 1.30 pm. to allow for.
Meanwhile, Mayo and Connacht champions Knockmore have a date with London champions Tir Chonaill Gaels in a quarter final of the All Ireland club football championship at Ruislip on Sunday (1.00).
The winners meet Leinster champions Fire Og of Carlow in the All Ireland semi finals on February 23rd. Laune Rangers of Kerry, the defending All Ireland champions, take on the winners of Bellaghy and Crossmaglen Rangers on the same day.
In a hurling quarter final, the Connacht champions, either Four Roads (Roscommon) or Athenry (Galway), are booked to play London club St Gabriel's in Ruislip on Sunday week.
The winners face Camross of Laois, Leinster champions following their win over Dublin's O'Toole's on Sunday, in the semi finals on February 16th. Cushendall of Antrim take on Wolfe Tones, the Clare and Munster champions, in the day's other semi final.
Both football and hurling finals are fixed, as usual, for Croke Park on St Patrick's Day.
Meanwhile, those who like their hurling strongly laced with nostalgia felt very much at home at the Dublin County Board offices last night when Paddy "Mucky" Maher was presented with a medal he was denied 56 years ago.
Maher was a member of the Eoghan Ruadh team that lost a third successive county final (1940) to Faughs, and while it was decided to cut a set of medals for losers Eoghan Ruadh, Maher was not given a medal because he had been sent off in the final.
