Rules were necessary
Monaghan was caught training. Dublin County Board and Monaghan County Board both acted quickly and suspended their respective managers for 12 weeks.
For the county teams that were training during lockdown expenses had to be paid to the players. These expenses are paid by County Boards so the County Boards had to be aware of what was going on.
The media had a field day with the Dubs. How could a team like Dublin, who are so professional in everything they do, be caught out? In other words how did they get caught out like Cork, Down, and Monaghan.
Don’t forget there was the incident at last year’s All-Ireland when three people were smuggled into Croke Parke in the back of the Mayo kit van.
I did not hear any TD calling for further investigation into this serious breach of security or whatever you want to call it.
No – but there was calls for further investigations into the Dublin team. The people of this country have suffered greatly over the last year and in many ways are still suffering. They have made many sacrifices which has impacted on their lives, both mentally and financially.
Those county teams that were caught training despite being told otherwise – and those that were not caught – have acted in a very selfish manner.
The punishment that has been handed out does not fit this atrocious crime. Handing out a 12-week suspension to a team manager means nothing no matter what way it is dressed up or presented.
When you are dealing with Covid-19 you are dealing with life and death. Teams that broke the rules should have been thrown out of this year’s championship.
If county teams knew that this was the punishment they would not have trained illegally – it is as simple as that.
“Teams that broke the rules should have been thrown out of this year’s championship.”