GAELIC GAMES NEWS ROUND-UPCIARÁN WHELAN has set the standard for the 16 players facing lengthy suspensions following Sunday's already infamous Parnell Park melee. The Dublin midfielder has decided to accept the eight-week suspension proposed by the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) and declined his right for a hearing.

While it still seems likely that some of the unprecedented scale of suspensions proposed for Dublin and Meath will go before the GAA's Central Hearings Committee (CHC), Whelan is the first to put his hand up and accept the consequences. All those deemed responsible have three days to decide whether to accept the suspensions, or request a hearing. This decision is up to the players.

Yesterday's confirmation that 16 players, eight from each team, have been landed with suspensions of either four or eight weeks was a clear statement that GAA meant business on the incident.

Meath came out of the CCCC decision worse off, with five players facing an eight-week ban - goalkeeper Brendan Murphy, defenders Niall McKeigue, Séamus Kenny and Shane McAnarney and midfielder Nigel Crawford. The players facing a four-week suspension are defenders Darren Fay and Caoimhin King and forward Peadar Byrne.

Given Meath's first championship match takes place on May 18th, when they play Carlow, and the winners of that are out two weeks later against Wexford, on June 1st, there is the potential for these five players facing eight-week suspensions to miss two championship matches.

Along with Whelan, the Dublin players faced with an eight-week suspension are forwards Bernard Brogan, Paul Flynn and Diarmuid Connolly; and those facing a four-week suspension are defenders Ross McConnell and Paddy Andrews, midfielder Eamonn Fennell, and forward Tomás Quinn.

In terms of championship participation, however, this is less severe, as Dublin don't start their championship until June 8th, against Louth. While Whelan, Brogan, Flynn and Connolly will miss that game, they would all be eligible for Dublin's second match - should they progress - as that doesn't take place until June 29th.

All 16 players had their suspensions proposed under Rule 143 (b) Category II, which schedules a number of infractions including "contributing to a melee". A brief statement from Whelan last night outlined his reasons for accepting his suspension, saying he "fully accepted the consequences of his actions", which were "irrational" and "regrettable".

Earlier yesterday, the Dublin County Board issued a statement "to apologise for the unseemly scenes" which developed on Sunday, while also stating they would not be appealing the proposed €20,000 fine. All eight Dublin players are ineligible for Saturday's Division Two final against Westmeath.

Meath were also hit with a €20,000 and the county board executive met last night to decide their next course of action.

Each of the players facing the proposed suspensions can opt for a hearing at which the video evidence of the CCCC is presented, and a decision on whether to impose the suspensions is then made by the CHC. The player also has the right to appeal that decision to the Central Appeals Committee (CAC).

Given what's at stake for Meath,that route appears inevitable, backed up by comments last night from Meath manager Colm Coyle: "Obviously it's regrettable, but nobody went out on the pitch with a pre-arranged plan to have this thing happen," he said. "The CCCC have obviously looked at the video closely, and feel there is case there against players. We'll just have to look at that video ourselves, and go on the ruling, and if there's a case where lads are guilty you'll just have to accept it . . . but we'll have to get a look at the video, and see what the suspensions are for."

Dublin selector Dave Billings suggested his players would follow a similar path: "Both teams are big and strong enough to take their punishment when punishments are given out, but there has to be a sense of justice and fair play in it, and I feel the president of the GAA prejudiced our position. He's certainly entitled to his views, but the CCCC were the people in charge of this, and it should have been left with them."