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Croke Park's CCCC to review Connolly incident on Tuesday

Dublin's Diarmuid Connolly walks away from the sideline controversy
Dublin's Diarmuid Connolly walks away from the sideline controversy

Croke Park’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) will review footage of the incident that could land Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly with a 12-week ban on Tuesday.

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The CCCC meet weekly at this time of year to inspect referees’ reports and go through the weekend’s action.

Video evidence is regularly used by the GAA’s central disciplinary body and Connolly could be in hot water after he laid a hand on linesman Ciaran Brannigan in the Dubs’ 0-19 to 0-07 win over Carlow on Saturday.

The St Vincent’s man was swarmed by Carlow players at O'Moore Park as he attempted to retain the ball in what proved a physical encounter.

After a sideline ball was awarded Connolly put his hand on Brannigan's shoulder. The CCCC could see this as a breach of the GAA's Rule 5.32, which concerns "minor physical interference" of officials.

That's an infraction that carries a minimum 12-week suspension and the Connolly faces an anxious wait before he finds out whether or not he will face disciplinary action.

Opinion on the incident has been divided, though RTÉ analysts Pat Spillane and Colm O'Rourke were both critical of the Dublin forward.

Speaking on The Sunday Game on RTÉ2, Spillane said: "This is a very obvious thing. Diarmuid was infuriated at a sidelined decision, not giving the ball back.

"The pictures tell it all. A picture tells a thousand words; clearly going to Ciaran Brannigan, the linesman, clearly putting his hand on the sideline man, clearly pushing the linesman, which he’s not entitled to do, clearly with his finger pointed, threatening the linesman.

"He put his hands on the linesman, he pushed the linesman back, and a finger pointed in somebody’s face sounds to me like threatening.

"Bottom line, its Rule 5 - minor physical interference. It carries a penalty of 12 weeks."

O’Rourke described Connolly as "a man who lives on the edge".

"He’s a player that gets frustrated easily," he asserted.

"He was playing poorly, got himself involved in a scrape, and he really could pay a heavy price for it.

"Through the history of Gaelic football, every good forward has been targeted.

"It’s up to Diarmuid Connolly to have the discipline to go out and play, knowing every game he goes out he’s going to be targeted by at least one of the opposition.

"What does he expect teams are going to do with him?"

Connolly was booked by referee Sean Hurson

Spillane then compared winding up Connolly to prodding a bear.

"You prod a bear, you get a reaction. You prod Diarmuid Connolly, you antagonise Diarmuid Connolly, and you always get a reaction," said the Kerry legend.

O’Rourke had the last word on the incident, adding: "He doesn’t come out of it looking good, and, for me, he’s been the best player or one of the best players for the past five or six years.

"But there’s always this edge to his game and he crossed the line last night."

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