Daly adds voice to sideline row

Frank Roche

DUBLIN hurling boss Anthony Daly has joined the chorus of complaint over the GAA's strict new sideline rules, while the Kildare team doctor who openly flouted the rule last weekend has claimed that inter-county medics may quit if the ruling isn't relaxed.

Under the new edict, the number of backroom members allowed on the line has been slashed from 12 to five – but the decision to allow only one medic (counties generally opt for their physio) has attracted the ire of team doctors.

Kildare's Danny Mulvihill – chairman of the Gaelic Games Doctors' Association – has been at the vanguard of this resistance and he contravened the rule during the Lilywhites' NFL opener against Donegal in Croke Park.

"I'm not hopeful of the discussions I've had with Croke Park to date," Mulvihill admitted. "The way some people see this, they can't continue as team doctors if it remains.

"There are a number of us who will have to walk if there is no change."

The doctors have found an ally in Daly, who declared: "You can easily have two injuries occurring at the same time. The problem is especially serious in hurling, where there are more nicks and belts. God forbid if something did happen and we didn't have somebody on the line to deal with it."

• THE GAA shows no sign of budging on its 2.0pm throw-in time for next Sunday's Kerry/Dublin clash in Killarney, despite fears of a poor turn-out because of Ireland's Six Nations clash against England, which starts at 3.0pm. Meanwhile, the AIB All-Ireland JFC final will definitely go ahead at Croke Park, despite the ongoing semi-final deadlock between Castleknock and Kenmare, whose second replay will be at GAA HQ this Saturday (5.30).