Glen lodge All-Ireland appeal over extra Kilmacud player on pitch during final

The GAA previously said that without an official objection they would not review the matter

Watty Graham’s Glen has lodged an appeal against the outcome of last Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Club final, after there were 16 men from Kilmacud Crokes on the pitch during the last few minutes of the match.

Two late substitutions were made by Kilmacud, Tom Fox and Conor Casey for Paul Mannion and Dara Mullins, but Dara Mullins remained on the pitch. The resulting 45 was sent in low and narrowly shot wide, while Dara Mullins remained on the goal-line.

According to Rule 6.44 (b), the penalty for fielding too many players is “awarding of the game to the opposition, or replay, or a fine, depending on circumstances”.

In Monday’s statement from the club, Glen GAC chairman said that he had been in contact with the GAA regarding the rule breach, but the GAA said that without an official objection they would not review the matter, an “extremely disappointing” position for the club to be left in according to their statement.

This inaction from the GAA has been decisive, with many seeing it as a “cop-out” and 1993 All-Ireland winner with Derry Joe Brolly describing it as “an embarrassment”.

Kilmacud Crokes will now have a three day period in which to lodge a counter appeal, with the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) having the final say.

There have been occasions where the CCCC has ordered replays of fixtures in the past. In 1998, the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final between Clare and Offaly was replayed after the referee ended the game 5 minutes early. Clare won the first match, but Offaly went on to win the replay before winning the All-Ireland.

In 2016, a replay was ordered in a qualifier match between Laois and Armagh after Laois fielded too many substitutions.