Glenn Ryan facing two eight-week bans following Kildare v Monaghan controversy

Kildare manager Glenn Ryan is facing two proposed eight-week suspensions for issues that arose following Kildare’s exit from the All-Ireland SFC at the hands of Monaghan two weeks ago. 

The Lilies last-minute exit after a controversial late decision, or lack of, by referee Jerome Henry brought widespread criticism and none more so than from the frustrated figure in the Kildare dug-out.

The referee’s performance was criticised by the Kildare boss post-match with Ryan saying that he felt Henry “proved he was out of his depth.”

The first charge for the Round Towers man is for bringing the game into disrepute as a result of the comments he made to media members regarding the referee.

Ryan said after the game, “I can’t understand in a big game like that, you have a top class official like David Gough doing the line who was equally scratching his head on the line with me on occasions.”

The second charge is for entering the referee's room in Tullamore after the game in an effort to question several refereeing decisions that were made throughout the match.

If awarded, the proposed suspension would run concurrently for two months. However, due to a clause added at Congress in February, the suspension would also include a two-match ban to be served by the Kildare manager at the beginning of next year's Allianz Football League campaign. 

In the days since the preliminary quarter final fixtures, the GAA's Central Competition Controls Committee (CCCC) examined the comments made by Ryan and the match report given by Jermome Henry which recounted the manager's effort to speak with him post-match.

Ryan, like many Kildare fans, was disappointed after he saw his side exit following a controversial no-call on over-carrying before the winning score of the game in Tullamore. He now has until tomorrow morning to confirm if he will contest the charge in front of the Central Hearings Committee.