GAA defends their handling of Kilmacud Crokes and Glen replay saga

"We should be really careful not to obviously intervene."

GAA director general Tom Ryan has defended the GAA's handling of the Kilmacud Crokes and Glen Watty Graham's All-Ireland final replay debate. Kilamcud Crokes had two too many players on the field in the dying minutes of the match, including one who was standing on the goal line trying to defend a late goal. The GAA said that nothing would be done unless Glen lodged an official complaint, and then they would take action, but they have came under heavy criticism for putting the onus on the Derry side.

"The worst thing we could possibly do - and I have seen this mentioned in dispatches - this idea that the GAA should step in, and there is a kind of deficit there and the GAA should step in and intervene,' he said.

"I have never, ever picked up the phone to the chair or anybody in the CCCC (Central Competitions Control Committee) to say, "Derek (Kent) this is the way I want this to go". I have never done that. I will never do that.

"Any suggestion, implied or explicit, that we should have been directing something, that's completely wrong."

Kent is the chair of the CCCC and Ryan insists the GAA was right to allow the process unfold as it has.

'The safest thing that we could do is abide by a process that works. "We should be really careful not to obviously intervene, but not to undermine that process either."

And he said that it can't be a question of making an exception either because it's a high profile All-Ireland club SFC final. "No is the answer because to my mind if you are playing junior D football in west Kerry or you're an All-Star hurler in north Antrim, it's the same disciplinary system. "People are entitled to have the same right of reply to it, irrespective of how good you are or what level you are playing at, or if it's club or county. "Also, that competition started out with a normal disciplinary regime attached to it in the first round of the various county championships across the country. "I wouldn't be in favour of a two tier, or a multiple tier disciplinary system based on how good players are." Related links:

• Kilmacud Crokes to counter Glen's objection over extra players in All-Ireland final
• Late screen-grab shows Kilmacud Crokes defended Glen’s last attack with 17 men on the pitch
• Replay is not the answer for Glen-Kilmacud mess of epic proportions