As Diarmuid Connolly embarks on what must be his 27th appeal of his suspension for last Saturday's sending off, our own Anthony Moyles had great story about his own experience with the CCCC, the CHC, the HTC, or whatever the hell it was called at the time.
The year was 2003 and Moyles was playing with his native Blackhall Gaels in the Meath senior championship in what was a match of no real significance before they'd go on to play the reigning county champions, Dunshaughlin, in the quarter-final.
A schemozzle broke out and long story short, it culminated in Anthony being sent off, despite the fact that he hadn't actually done anything wrong. Even the referee at the time, Dudley Farrell, came into the dressing room after the match and admitted they'd sent the wrong man off. It was actually Anthony's brother who had been involved in the fracas.
However, Farrell indicated that he'd point out the mistake in his match report and nothing would come of it. Low and behold the bowld Farrell didn't fill it out properly so Moyles was set to be suspended for the quarter-final.
So the decision wasn't actually overturned but the Sunday came and in a brazen fashion that is typical of Meath GAA people, the club chairman and manager decided that Anthony should play the match. He lined out and wouldn't you know, didn't Blackhall Gaels go and beat them. However, this story is only getting started.
The Meath county board held up the decision so I had obviously played illegally.
I was facing a year, or it could have been two years, suspension and the club was facing a year's suspension. So it was absolute bananas stuff.
Oh Jaysis.
The thing was though, that the Meath county board, in a strange turn of events, were also trying to help get Moyles off. They were just following the letter of the law. Himself and the club took the appeal to the Leinster Council, to one of the CCCCCCCCCCCs.
They [Meath board] were like 'We know we're wrong here but we need to try and get out of this.' So down we went (to the hearing in Newbridge). We were there till about midnight. For four or five hours.
In the latter end, the CCCCCCCCCCC decided to throw the decision back to the Meath county board - in Pontius Pilate fashion - and they decided to have the match replayed. Moylsey was reinstated but poor auld Black Gaels lost the replay.
You can listen to the story in all its glory from around 10:30 below on this week's episode of the Hard Shoulder.
