All-Ireland: Ger Brennan ‘should have taken a stand’ – Oisin McConville

The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) said that all incidents in the Donegal-Kerry game had been dealt with at the time by match referee Sean Hurson, while Brennan was sent off in the Galway game.

McConville admitted “I’m pretty sure there would have been massive consequences as a result” if Brennan had appeared on the sideline, but Dublin’s County Board and players “obviously feel very strongly about how he has been treated”.

“Why not? What have they got to lose?,” 2002 All-Ireland winner McConville added.

“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.”

With Dean Rock on the touchline throughout Brennan’s suspension to date, McConville did say that he didn’t know if it would have made a difference in the result as Louth defeated Dublin in Championship football for the first time since 1973.

“I don’t know the absence of Ger Brennan on the sideline would be the winning or losing of that game.

“At the end of the day players win matches.”

McConville added that Louth “ground it out” after there was little to separate the sides at Croke Park.

“I thought we would be having the conversation about Louth tapering off, because Dublin had all of the momentum.

“Louth deserved it, because they were big in the big moments.”