Oisin McConville believes the GAA will impose further sanctions on Donegal manager Jim McGuinness following the ugly half-time scenes during Donegal's All-Ireland SFC win over Kerry on Saturday. Speaking on The GAA Social podcast, McConville said he is "100% certain" the association will take action against McGuinness after an altercation broke out between both sets of players as the half-time whistle sounded.
Kerry's Micheal Burns struck Donegal's Ryan McHugh, leaving him with a cut over his eye, which enraged McGuinness, who appeared to step in. Burns was shown a red card by referee Sean Hurson at the start of the second half.
McConville, the Wicklow manager, compared the situation to Dublin boss Ger Brennan's recent 12-week ban for "physical interference with an opposing player or team official" during a league game against Galway in March. McConville described Brennan's ban as "absolutely ridiculous" but noted that it sets a precedent that could now be applied to McGuinness.
"It's not even in doubt — there will be further action," McConville said. "McGuinness is usually quite controlled on the sideline, but if you look at the Ger Brennan thing, the punishment does not fit the crime. Absolutely not. Three months, no involvement with the team — that was absolutely ridiculous. As a result, the GAA have created a precedent, and there's absolutely no doubt that they'll go after Jim McGuinness now. They haven't really left themselves any wriggle room."
At half-time in Killarney, Hurson spoke at length to McGuinness and Kerry boss Jack O'Connor, instructing them to send substitutes and assistant coaches to the stands. McConville felt that rule "should have been implemented at the start of the game." He added: "The word is there was 45 or 50 people on the pitch at half-time. That shouldn't happen. That's something that must be addressed."