McGuinness punishment has to be appealed - McEniff

The eight week suspension handed down to Donegal team manager, Jim McGuinness, over the fielding of an ineligible player in the Dr McKenna Cup is much too harsh and has to be appealed.

That is the view of former All-Ireland winning Donegal manager, Brian McEniff.

McGuinness was handed the eight week ban by the Ulster Council disciplinary committee after it was found that young Naomh Conaill player, Finbarr Roarty, was ineligible to play in their game against Armagh in the first round of the Dr McKenna Cup on Wednesday of last week, January 3rd.

The rule, of which nobody including those involved with the Donegal senior team was aware, was changed in 2016 and you have to have reached your 18th birthday prior to January 1st to be eligible to play intercounty football. Prior to that you had to be in your 18th year, and the obvious examples of that in the past were Patrick  McBrearty and Michael Murphy.

https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/1390069/mcguinness-hit-with-eight-week-ban-for-fielding-ineligible-player.html

“I think the punishment is very, very harsh. We are talking about the McKenna Cup competition, a pre-season competition, and any punishment should be only applicable to the McKenna Cup,” says McEniff.

“Donegal have to appeal the ban and they have to appeal on the grounds that any punishment must relate to the McKenna Cup.

“It is far too stiff. It is like taking a sledge hammer to open a nut. The eight week ban might be in the rule book, but it should be reduced on appeal,” said McEniff.

The Bundoran hotelier also added that it was better that the anomaly was found out early as it would be a more harsh punishment to lose points during the National League.

“I feel sorry for the young lad also. He has been suspended for a couple of weeks, but that will not matter really.

“I’m sure Jim will use the fallout from this as motivation and rightly so,” said McEniff.