President: pitch invasions not on July 23, 2013





Monaghan's Conor McManus and Owen Lennon lift the Anglo-Celt Cup at Clones. INPHO Monaghan's Conor McManus and Owen Lennon lift the Anglo-Celt Cup at Clones. INPHO

Most Read Stories

Liam O'Neill says there is no room in the GAA for pitch invasions.This summer has already witnessed a couple of mass pitch invasions at the Gaelic Grounds and Clones after Limerick and Monaghan won the Munster SHC and Ulster SFC respectively, but the Association president says there is no place in our games for this traditional practice.O'Neill points out that pitch invasions are dangerous and is also concerned by what happened at Newbridge on Saturday night, when referee Joe McQuillan was jostled as he left the pitch at St Conleth's Park:"It shouldn't happen," the Laois man is quoted in The Irish Examiner. "There have been concerns and in fairness to our safety committee they have been very, very quick to point out where there are difficulties."They have expressed their views on certain venues and it shows that their attempts to put safety first have been totally justified."There will have to be a change because quite simply that can't be allowed to happen again. It shouldn't happen anywhere and we have to put in place whatever safety requirements to make sure that it doesn't happen."Any time there's a pitch invasion is like gambling; it's like driving without a seatbelt. You just don't know what's going to happen. The ideal situation is the one we are promoting. You're gambling, people's safety is at stake."Make no mistake, if something ever happens people won't say, 'Wasn't that man very foolish to go onto the pitch'; they'll blame us. We have outlined what we think is best practice and we would like people to follow that. The players actually prefer to have the pitch to themselves."It's an education process. There's no mixed message and we don't tolerate this, but when a horde descend on a pitch it's very hard to stop them."Our message on this is clear. There are certain commentators or people who say it's a populist thing, and they should be let on. But they should know better. It's not about taking draconian measures. It's a ground by ground thing."