Ex-ref Barry Kelly: GAA must tighten appeals loopholes

Barry Kelly, a four-time All-Ireland hurling final referee, has said the GAA must revisit their who disciplinary system to avoid "loopholes" being exploited in the appeals process.

There has been huge debate this week after Clare's Peter Duggan and Rory Hayes, as well as Galway forward Cianan Fahy, were all cleared to play in their respective All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals against Wexford and Cork on Saturday.

They were essentially cleared on a technicality, after a Central Hearings Committee (CHC) hearing ruled that there was a procedural issue in relation to the proposed suspensions.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's The Championship, Kelly highlighted some of the problems he believes are damaging the disciplinary system.

"There's a cultural issue in the GAA where administrators are kind of talking out of both sides of their mouths really," he said.

"On one hand they are doing all they can to make players available for their county teams, while the same administrators are also part of a job within a county administering suspensions to players for committing pretty much the exact same offences.

"I's a cultural thing at this stage that's set in and I think that culture has been accelerated by the fact that so many appeals have been won.

"Everyone is entitled to an appeal over pretty much any decision but I think it's weighed far too heavy at the moment in favour of the defendant."

Kelly also elaborated on how counties and players are finding weaknesses in a system that he says is "too open".

"I don't think the GAA envisaged when the DRA and so on was set up that you'd have so many legal eagles, or sharp minds in legal circles getting involved in this.

"That's part of the problem as well. They're able to find loopholes, technicalities, and