Kilmacud v Glen controversy: GAA boss Ryan dismisses criticism over 16th Man saga

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Kilmacud (in purple) had 16 players defending their goal in the dying seconds at Croke Park

GAA chief executive Tom Ryan has dismissed the view that the association should have intervened in the All-Ireland Club final ’16th men’ saga.

The GAA waited for the beaten Glen to officially oppose rather than move on even when it was clear Kilmacud had finished the match with 16 men.

This led to many comments about the GAA’s lack of leadership, but Ryan defended Croke Park’s position.

“The safest thing we can do is stick to a process that works,” he said.

“We have to be very careful not to obviously intervene, but also not to undermine this process.”

Following Glen’s objection, the GAA’s disciplinary body, the Central Competition Control Committee [CCCC] ordered a replay and it is now expected that Kilmacud will appeal that decision.

Speaking at the launch of the GAA’s annual report, Ryan said the process for handling the 16th man controversy should not have changed simply because the match was an All-Ireland senior final.

“In my view, whether you play Junior D football in West Kerry or you’re an All-Star bowler in North Antrim, it’s the same disciplinary system,” the chief executive insisted. GAA.

While Ryan spoke about the All-Ireland Club Football Club final controversy, GAA chairman Larry McCarthy declined to comment on the matter.

“Furthermore, this competition started with a normal disciplinary regime attached to it in the first round of the various county championships across the country.

“It is appropriate that the same regime also applies at the top. I would not be in favor of a two or more tier disciplinary system based on the quality of players.”

Ryan defended the GAA’s nine-day silence on the issue that continued until Tuesday morning’s announcement that a replay had been ordered.

He also insisted that the right approach was not to interfere in the CCCC process.

“I’ve never, ever phoned the president or anyone at CCCC to say ‘this is how I want it to be’. I never did that. I never will. “

GAA President Larry McCarthy declined to comment further on the issue when launching the annual report.

The annual report showed that the association recorded a surplus of 18.2 million euros [16.22m] which is partly explained by the 21.7 million euros [19.34m] increased entry revenue as match venues reopened after Covid-19 restrictions ended.

The surplus was up from last year’s figure of 13.5 euros [12.03m] although funding from the Irish government has increased from €29.8 million [26.57] in 2021 to 21.3 million euros [19m] in 2022.

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