Connolly says sanction on Dublin boss “extreme at best”

Gary Ibbotson 09 Apr 2021

Former Dublin GAA footballer Diarmuid Connolly has said that the recent sanctions placed on Dublin and Monagan GAA managers after breaches of Covid-19 regulations were too harsh.

Inter-county GAA squads are forbidden to train together until April 19, but Monaghan coach Seamus McEnaney and Dublin boss Dessie Farrell have been suspended for 12 weeks after emerged their squads held training sessions in March.

Connolly said: “Dublin made a mistake, they’ve apologised for it and they’ve accepted the responsibility.

“There does have to be a sanction put down, but Dessie Farrell has taken a 12-week ban which is extreme at best.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              “And with all that is going on in the media at the moment, a GAA team training with nine people was front page news and I don’t think it warrants it, it was a huge overreaction.

“I’m not trying to make light of this either, there are restrictions in place and the whole country has been in lockdown for a long time,” he said.

 

The six-time All-Ireland winner Connolly said that the perception of the Dublin team can be unfair at times.

“Dublin have absolutely made a mistake here, but as much as they are portrayed as robots, they are human and they make mistakes like everybody else.

                                                                                                                            “They have accepted responsibility now and hopefully we can move on quickly from this.”

Connolly also welcomed the publication of a roadmap for resumption of GAA competition, but questioned why the sport had been removed of its elite status.

“My question to the powers that be is, why was the elite status removed? It’s still there for Rugby and Soccer and the GAA had elite status this time last year.

 

“Only 0.1% of transmission is related to outdoor activity at the moment and there’s also a big question over mental health.

                                                                                                                                “It’s hard not to be training, but the roadmap is a positive and now we have something to look forward to, hopefully it will give everybody a lift.”

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