CCCC ‘MUST BACK DOWN IN THIS ROW’

A FORMER Disputes

Resolution Authority secretary claims Kildare are within their rights to want to play Mayo in Newbridge.

CAS appointee Jack Anderson believes the Central Competitions Control Committee should switch the game to St Conleth’s Park - and then change the association rules later this year.

CCCC chairman Ned Quinn stated yesterday that the controversy over Kildare’s stand-off was more an issue of ticket availability than health and safety.

He said around 2,000 tickets would go on general sale to Kildare fans if the qualifier was played in Newbridge.

GAA chiefs begin selling tickets today for the announced Croke Park double-header of Cavan v Tyrone and Kildare v Mayo. But sports law professor Anderson tweeted: “There is

DRA authority that in exceptional circumstances a decision of a CCC can be overturned where it is unreasonable and irrational in the circumstances - high bar but it can be done.

“Kildare can argue that CCCC is unreasonably in breach of r6.28(a) (v) (2): ‘Home Venues SHALL be used in Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the All-ireland

Qualifier Series, with first Team drawn having Home Advantage’ and only exception is ‘Venues for Rd 4 shall be determined by CCCC’.

“If there is any exception to the home venue rule in rounds 1-3 of the All-ireland qualifiers (eg ground capacity, health and welfare, season ticket etc) the GAA probably should have thought of that beforehand and expressly given the CCCC a discretion but it didn’t.

“The GAA Official Guide has expressly and clearly limited the CCCC’S powers in rounds

1-3 of the qualifiers and it must give Kildare home advantage.

“If Kildare go for injunctive relief in the courts, they look like they have a good, arguable case and would get it on the above grounds. CCCC are not in any way willfully breaching the Guide, they are just more restricted than normal by the Guide and haven’t realised. “CCCC may have to back down this time. I would recommend that they do that.”

Kildare boss Cian O’neill was not for turning yesterday. “All we want is due process for our players,”

he said.