LIMERICK BOSS JOHN Allen is not joining the debate that has emerged over the legitimacy of their recent league final defeat after it was revealed Dublin unknowingly fielded an illegal player.
Paul Ryan, who scored 1-8 against Limerick in that clash in Thurles on April 6th, had been sent off for a straight red card offence when the counties met in Croke Park on March 16th.
The Ballyboden St Enda’s forward duly served a one-match ban and missed the following weekend’s game against Wexford.
However, as Lar Corbett and JJ Delaney’s four-week suspensions have highlighted, the GAA’s Central Appeals Committee deemed Central Council were wrong to extend the trial basis of match bans into this year.
After a successful experiment last year, match bans, which linked league and championship games, were made permanent at Congress in Derry in March.
However, the CAC ruled in the case of Longford footballer Barry Gilleran that the GAA should have reverted to time-based bans from January 1st.
As a result Ryan, unbeknownst to him or Dublin, should have served a four-week ban which would not have concluded by the time the Division 1B final came around.
Allen admitted last night that he was aware of the debate but did not wish to comment after Limerick county board officials had revealed they will approach Croke Park to examine the issue.
“I’m not going to say anything more about because it would seen as sour grapes if I say anything derogatory. We lost the game on the night so that’s the end of the subject.
“Paul Ryan was probably hard done by being sent off in the previous game, which probably turned that game.”
