Brennan should have taken a stand - McConville
· Yahoo Sports
Suspended Dublin manager Ger Brennan should have "taken a stand" in the All-Ireland defeat by Louth, believes Oisin McConville.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
Brennan was issued a 12-week ban in March for an altercation with Galway strength and conditioning coach Cian Breathnach McGinn - who was banned for eight weeks - during Dublin's relegation-confirming Division One defeat by the Tribesmen.
The severity of Brennan's suspension came back into focus in the build-up to the game after Donegal manager Jim McGuinness avoided a suspension for an incident with Kerry's Diarmuid O'Connor as tempers flared in a melee between the sides in the All-Ireland round one game on 23 May.
Dublin's players did not conduct media duties after the loss to Louth in protest but, speaking on the GAA Social podcast on BBC Sounds, McConville says Brennan should have taken things a step further.
"If I was Ger Brennan at the weekend, I would have arrived at Croke Park and stood at the sidelines, with the blessing of the County Board," said current Wicklow manager McConville.
"I would have went to the County Board during the week and said it was time to make a stand.
"Dublin made a stand after the game because they didn't talk to any press or any media duties.
"But I feel strongly enough that I think Ger Brennan should have went and put himself on the line."
- The GAA Social - Should Ger Brennan have taken a stand?
- McGuinness and Clifford to avoid bans after Kerry-Donegal melee
The GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) said that all incidents in the Donegal-Kerry game had been dealt with at the time by match referee Sean Hurson, while Brennan was sent off in the Galway game.
McConville admitted "I'm pretty sure there would have been massive consequences as a result" if Brennan had appeared on the sideline, but Dublin's County Board and players "obviously feel very strongly about how he has been treated".
"Why not? What have they got to lose?," 2002 All-Ireland winner McConville added.
"They obviously feel strongly about it, but I feel it was the day to make a bigger stand than refusing media duties.
"I feel that strongly about it - that was the thing that was ringing in my head all week.
"Does not talking to the media hurt? You make a point but they are under no obligation to do media duties anyway."
With Dean Rock on the touchline throughout Brennan's suspension to date, McConville did say that he didn't know if it would have made a difference in the result as Louth defeated Dublin in Championship football for the first time since 1973.
"I don't know the absence of Ger Brennan on the sideline would be the winning or losing of that game.
"At the end of the day players win matches."
McConville added that Louth "ground it out" after there was little to separate the sides at Croke Park.
"I thought we would be having the conversation about Louth tapering off, because Dublin had all of the momentum.
"Louth deserved it, because they were big in the big moments."