GAA legend believes Ger Brennan should've made stand against ban
Wicklow manager and Armagh legend Oisín McConville has backed Dublin manager Ger Brennan to make a stand against his 12-week ban.
Brennan is still in the midst of his 12-week ban for an altercation with a Galway coach during a National League game earlier this year.
However, after the Kerry-Donegal melee, which saw Jim McGuinness escaping a ban after pushing Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor, many believe Brennan should feel hard done by.
One of those is Oisín McConville, who actually faced Dublin in the second round of the Leinster Championship while Brennan was banned, with Dean Rock taking to the sidelines.
Ger Brennan. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Speaking on the BBC’s GAA social podcast, McConvillle called on Brennan to make a stand against his ban, saying he would’ve made his presence felt last Sunday during Dublin’s All-Ireland Round 1 defeat to Louth.
‘If I was Ger Brennan at the weekend, I would have arrived at Croke Park and stood at the sidelines, with the blessing of the County Board,’ the Wicklow boss said.
‘I would have went to the County Board during the week and said it was time to make a stand. Dublin made a stand after the game because they didn’t talk to any press or any media duties.
Wicklow manager Oisín McConville. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
‘But I feel strongly enough that I think Ger Brennan should have went and put himself on the line… Why not? What have they got to lose?’
He continued: ‘They obviously feel strongly about it, but I feel it was the day to make a bigger stand than refusing media duties. I feel that strongly about it – that was the thing that was ringing in my head all week.
‘Does not talking to the media hurt? You make a point but they are under no obligation to do media duties anyway.’
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness appeals to officials. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
All this chat has come in the aftermath of Jim McGuinness escaping a ban of any sort after the melee in Killarney last Saturday.
But speaking to Morning Ireland after the Round 2 draw, GAA President Jarlath Burns believes that the Central Competitions Control Committee did the right thing not to ban McGuinness, and that people need to look at both cases in isolation.
‘Our CCCC do a fantastic job,’ the President said. ‘If you look at the league, we had 314 games throughout the league. There was one issue at the very, very last day at half-time that created anything that you could call controversial.
Jarlath Burns. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
‘And it has only been cast into the spotlight because of another issue that some people maybe are comparing irrationally, if you want to call it that, because you’re not comparing the same thing.
‘As I said, comparison is the thief of contentment.’
Brennan is set to return to the sidelines next week as his ban ends on June 13 at midnight. This makes him available to take charge of Dublin’s Round 2B game away against Cavan.
