WITH the AllIreland championships now in full swing and increased attendances reported all over the country it is a pity that the poor standard of football is one of the major topics of the day. During the shambles which was the match between Derry and Monaghan in Clones on Sunday a tally of 76 frees were awarded in the course of the game.

Two players were sent off and eight others booked as the referee, Martin McBrien from Fermanagh, became the busiest man on the pitch. He came in for some criticism from both sides afterwards but, quite frankly, a lack of discipline among the players is the bane of modern football.

It is as wrong to blame referees as it is difficult to come up with solutions. It would appear that radical measures are needed. What these measures would be is another day's work.

The statistics are extremely disappointing: in the 14 football championship matches played to date, six players have been sent off and 58 have been booked. One of the problems which arises from the latter figures is that no sanction is imposed on players who are booked and there is no system of keeping records.

So far Down have the worst record with one sending off and 11 bookings in two matches. Westmeath have had one player dismissed and nine bookings and Wexford come next with one sent off and eight bookings. In the WexfordWestmeath drawn match two players (one from each side) were sent off and an extraordinary tally of 14 players booked - seven from each side.

That Westmeath Wexford tie has also pointed up a rank injustice in the disciplinary system. Anthony Coyle was sent off in the drawn match and was given a month's suspension. Fair enough one might say but, surely, the punishment should fit the crime.

What has happened in Coyle's case is that he has missed three and three quarter championship matches as a result. He missed all but eight minutes of the match in which he started, the replay in Mullingar, the drawn match against Offaly and will miss the replay of that match next Saturday evening.

One can be quite certain that if the referee in the original match, Seamus McCormack of Meath, had realised the consequences of his decision he might have had second thoughts. But here again the referee cannot be blamed for the rules which are in force.

Nobody will advocate a softly softly approach to foul play on the pitch but a threematch ban for a wild tackle is scarcely an appropriate sentence in this case. A more appropriate sentence would be to suspend the player from a specific match.

The Westmeath county secretary, himself a referee of the highest calibre, admits that Westmeath feel harshly punished.

"Anthony missed most of the match in which he was sent off and now misses his third full championship match. It is very harsh on him and naturally enough we have great sympathy for him. He misses Saturday evening's match by five hours as his suspension will end at midnight".

Apart from him Westmeath expect to be able to pick from a full panel for the match. The three players who missed the draw with Offaly are all expected to be available. They are Dermot Brady, corner back, and corner forwards Kenny Lyons and Mark Treanor.

Tyrone's selectors, led by team manager Danny Ball, heaved a collective sigh of relief when a full club championship programme on Sunday ended without any serious injury to members of the county squad.

Unfortunately they will have to plan without Gerard Cavlan and Fergal Logan for the Ulster championship match against Armagh on Sunday week. Neither is expected to recover from injury in time to be considered.

Noel Donnelly, who was injured in the match against Down, left the field again during the club game between Drumquinn and Urney on Sunday but he is expected to be fit in time to play. Brian McGuckin who was sent off in another club match is expected to get the minimum sentence and be eligible for selection.

The two players sent off in the drawn match between Derry and Monaghan in Clones on Sunday are under automatic suspension. They are Brian McCormack of Derry and Joe Coyle of Monaghan who were dismissed for an incident off the ball in the second half of the match.

Colin Corkerry is confident of being fit in time to take his place in the Munster football championship semifinal against Clare in Ennis on June 22nd.

He injured a hip in Cork's 2-12 to 0-11 victory over Dublin on Sunday. Cork will be in action again this weekend when they travel to Mayo Abbey to meet Mayo in the Sean Flanagan Memorial Cup final.

Meanwhile Dublin's Paul Curran will know today whether or not he will have to have surgery on a deep seated groin injury.

He hopes to avoid the operation and take his place in the Dublin lineup for the match against Meath on Sunday week.

Cork's hurlers are expected to select from a full panel for their Munster championship clash with Clare at Limerick on Sunday.