Meath Co Board were last night successful in their appeal to the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee which contested the earlier decision of the Leinster Council to mandate the Royal County’s governing body to replay the third round ‘regulation’ game between Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Na Fianna. Now read on…

The furore erupted after the two aforementioned clubs and Curraha ended up tied on two points apiece after the group stages, with Dunshaughlin having been runaway winners of the section. Now, because there were more than two teams caught up in the conundrum, the staple method of using the head-to-head between the two deadlocked sides could not be deployed.

However, it’s my understanding that Na Fianna took their case on the grounds that the score difference should have been calculated amongst all teams in the group and not just those who ended up vying for the quarter final place – themselves and Donaghmore/Ashbourne. I’d love to know on what grounds the CHC arrived at their decision given that the Provincial Council – a body of superior nous and importance to a Co Board – ruled in favour of the Enfield/Baconstown club.

For clarity, the Meath club competitions are far from being the only ones caught up in what amounts to a fairly substantial rule change which – however the hell it happened – managed to be snook through Congress without anybody noticing until it was already too late. At which point they tried the age old fallacy of bolting the stable door long after the steed had committed the jailbreak. Which, essentially, is about as useful as putting a cow’s milk dispensing orders on a bull.

That said, at the time of typing, this website believes the Na Fianna still have a hearing at the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) and while it seems unlikely at this late stage, there could be yet more twists in this convoluted tale.