Donegal and Armagh turn down proposed €7,500 fines from Ulster final row

DONEGAL AND ARMAGH have refused to accept the GAA’s proposed €7,500 fines arising out of the on-field clashes at the end of the Ulster senior football final.

The counties have also requested that the disciplinary process be adjourned until after the end of the inter-county season, which has been agreed by the GAA.

After Donegal’s extra-time victory in Clones, players from both sides became involved in an altercation. This then spread with members of the management teams and some spectators also becoming embroiled.

The incident was subsequently investigated by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC). Footage recorded by media present at the game clearly showed striking actions between players, but the GAA will not use such evidence in the course of their investigations if it wasn’t recorded by official broadcasters.

After conducting their deliberations, the CCCC sent their proposed punishment to the counties. Within the disciplinary processes, Donegal and Armagh are entitled to decline the initial proposed punishment and seek a hearing, which they have now done.

Incidentally, the €7,500 figure is the same that was awarded to Cork in the wake of their pre-match row with Clare before they met at Semple Stadium in the 2007 Munster hurling championship.

Clare were fined €5,000, while players Barry Nugent, Colin Lynch, Andrew Quinn and Alan Markham, along with Cork players Sean Óg Ó gAilpín, Diarmuid O’Sullivan and Dónal Óg Cusack were suspended for four weeks.

The suspensions were appealed, but were upheld by the GAA’s Central Appeals Committee at the time.

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