GAA unlikely to punish Donegal and Meath for early parade departure

The GAA are not expected to take any action against Donegal and Meath breaking early from the parade before Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final.

Although players are required to stand to attention for the entirety of Amhrán na bhFiann, there are no match regulations against counties not finishing the entire duration of the parade, which starts and end at the Hogan Stand.

On Sunday, Donegal moved away from the parade behind the Artane Boys’s Band before it reached Hill 16 and Meath follow suit soon afterwards. Prior to last year’s All-Ireland SFC final, Armagh similarly broke away into a group as Galway continued to walk in single file behind the musicians.

The only regulations pertaining the parade state that in hurling helmets should not be worn for it and for both codes “the team captain shall lead the parade and only the 15 players commencing the game as per official team list may march in the parade, in team jerseys and numerical order.”

However, the protocols around parades, which take place before provincial finals and All-Ireland semi-finals and finals, could be reviewed by the Central Competitions Control Committee for next season. Last week, three Kilkenny players joined their team in it late having been in the dressing room after warming up.

This year, the GAA’s public announcers have read out a message before the anthem asked supporters to respect the entirety of it. However, players continues to move away before the song has finished.

In 2021, a regulation was introduced insisting teams “stand to attention respectfully facing the flag for the full duration of the anthem.” Referees were instructed not to commence the game for at least 30 seconds after the end of the song so as to allow teams huddle prior to footballers and hurlers taking their starting positions.

Meanwhile, Brendan Cawley is the leading candidate to officiate Sunday week’s All-Ireland SFC final between Donegal and Kerry. The Kildare native took charge of the Kerry-Armagh All-Ireland quarter-final as well as Donegal’s Ulster opener against Derry.

Sarsfields man Cawley was the man in the middle for the Galway-Donegal All-Ireland semi-final last year and was stand-by referee/linesman to Seán Hurson for the Galway-Armagh final.

If he is appointed, he will follow in the footsteps of fellow Kildare men such as Seamus Aldridge (1978), Tommy Howard (1993) and Mick Monahan (2005).

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