WHAT SANCTIONS CAN BE IMPOSED?

INCREASE LENGTH OF DESSIE FARRELL’S SUSPENSION

While the Dublin County Board has already imposed a 12-week ban on Farrell, it is within the GAA’s gift to increase it. The charge laid against him is for behaviour that has discredited the association, which carries a sanction of eight weeks’ suspension, at a minimum. Given that Cork manager Ronan McCarthy has already received a 12-week ban for his team’s breach of regulations, as did Down’s Paddy Tally who successfully had his ban reduced to eight weeks, the GAA will likely leave well enough alone. Any increase beyond 12 weeks would almost certainly see Farrell succeed in taking his case to the DRA and the fact that his ban has been issued by his own county board rules out the chance that he will contest it. Farrell will now not be able to attend Dublin training or take his place on the sideline until June 22.

CHARGE THE PLAYERS IN ATTENDANCE

The GAA’s treatment of Cork and Down almost certainly rules this out — although the likes of Brian Fenton, Brian Howard and Jonny Cooper are members of the GAA so technically this is a possibility. More than anything, there is a morality issue at play here with an acceptance that the players were requested to attend by their manager.

LOSE HOME ADVANTAGE IN THE LEAGUE

No sooner had the story broken than the joke was doing the rounds that Dublin were going to lose their home advantage and would have to play in Croke Park rather than Parnell Park. The likelihood is they will have no game in the capital during the League. Their game against Galway, sandwiched by road trips to Kerry and Roscommon, will likely be fixed at a neutral venue as a result of this breach.

FINE THE DUBLIN COUNTY BOARD

The GAA refrained from going down this route with Cork and Down, and will be even less inclined to do so with Dublin. Fines have become a totally ineffective method of enforcing discipline, and it would be almost farcical to impose a token fine on the GAA’s richest board.