Dublin GAA handed manager Dessie Farrell 12 week suspension for breach of Covid guidelines
The Dublin GAA Management Committee have handed a 12 week suspension to manager Dessie Farrell following a breach of Covid guidelines.
The suspension was announced this evening following an investigation into allegations this morning that a number of Dublin players had been photographed taking part in a non-contact training session at Innisfails GAA club.
Although the GAA made a statement earlier in the day that they would investigate the allegations and if any breaches were proven to have taken place they would administer any necessary and appropriate disciplinary sanctions the Dublin GAA committee took the initiative and handed down the appropriate suspension.
The 12 week suspension is in line with previous Covid guideline breaches involving Cork and Down with managers Ronan McCarthy and Paddy Tally receiving 12 and eight week suspensions.
There was the usual overreaction on social media from those outside of Dublin when the breach first came to light this morning with ridiculous calls for the Dubs to be thrown out of the championship or to have their All Ireland titles stripped from them.
But this was just a clear error of judgement on behalf of those involved and not good timing either with the government’s announcement of a return to inter-county training on the 19th of April, but the matter has been dealt with swiftly by the Dublin GAA management committee and the appropriate sanction handed out and that should be the end of the matter.
Below is the statement released by the Dublin GAA Management Committee this evening.
Dublin GAA acknowledge that, following an investigation this afternoon, there was a breach of Covid-19 guidelines yesterday morning.
The County Management Committee have suspended Dublin Senior Football manager Dessie Farrell for 12 weeks with immediate effect.
The Dublin senior football management and players recognise that this was a serious error of judgement and apologise unreservedly for their actions.
Dublin GAA Management Committee