Nearly five months into his GAA presidency and Aogán Ó Fearghail has suddenly found a more commanding voice, promising the GAA will do whatever is necessary to find out what happened to Dublin footballer Davey Byrne.
Speaking in Kilkenny, Ó Fearghail expressed his disappointment that no proper evidence of the incident had yet surfaced.
“If something happens in any game, and nothing comes of it, that is not a system I would be comfortable with,” said Ó Fearghail, referring to the incident last Thursday week that saw Byrne sustain extensive facial injuries before the start of a challenge match against Armagh.
Further incidents
There were also reports of further incidents in the game.
“I don’t know the severity of the injuries, but I think if something happens that is against our rules and regulations that it should be dealt with it . . . and all the evidence should be gathered.”
That process, said Ó Fearghail, is now underway, and although no reference to the incident was made in the referee report, or seen in the initial video footage, Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) has now requested further information from both the Dublin and Armagh management, particularly given that Dublin manager Jim Gavin has gone on the record confirming an incident had happened.
However, Ó Fearghail rejected the suggestion that media reaction had forced the CCCC to investigate the matter. He also called on all parties to cooperate fully, and provide whatever evidence they may have.
“Anyone with information on it should be forthcoming with it. I think they have an obligation to co-operate with any investigation.”
It wouldn’t be the first time an alleged incident in a challenge game has gone unpunished, although Ó Fearghail was adamant that the same rules must apply, and that playing “behind closed doors” wasn’t a licence to bend those rules to suit either team.
“There are no games behind closed doors, as far as I’m concerned. I wouldn’t be comfortable, as president of an association, that had games behind closed doors.
Permission
“I don’t think that’s healthy and I don’t think there was a game behind closed doors. It was a game that permission was sought for, permission happened, and there seems to be evidence that an incident occurred. And I would expect now that that’s properly dealt with. That’s my belief.”
He didn’t put a timeframe on the investigation, although admitted it possibly should have happened sooner. “Probably it would be better if things happened a bit quicker, but that is not unusual, particularly in a challenge game.”
