Fallon Cleared, Now Facing Drug Charge

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Irish Voice Sport

Fallon Cleared, Now Facing Drug Charge

December 13, 2007

by Cathal Dervan

IRELAND’S top trainer Aidan O’Brien has vowed to stand by troubled jockey Kieren Fallon as the Irishman faces more controversy just days after the race fixing charge against him was thrown out by a London court.

Fallon’s celebrations after an Old Bailey judge dismissed the claims against him were short lived when it was revealed Fallon tested positive for a banned substance after riding Myboycharlie to win the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville in France on August 19.

Fallon now has to wait for the results of a B sample before learning his fate, but O’Brien is confident his Coolmore syndicate will continue to support Fallon if the six-time champion jockey’s failed drugs test is confirmed.

“I don’t know what will happen, we’ll have to go home and talk to him,” said the Ballydoyle handler. “Kieren, everyone knows, has an addiction problem and had before he came to us.

“Anybody like that deserves help rather than anything else. Everybody has always helped him, they’ve stood 100% behind him all the way and I can’t see why it would be any different.

“I haven’t talked to him, I talked to him after the court case, that’s all. He was in fairyland at that time but there’s a long road ahead of him now.”

The 42-year-old Fallon previously served a six-month suspension imposed by the French racing authority after testing positive for a metabolite of a prohibited substance in November 2006.

The Irish Turf Club, with whom Fallon is licensed, have an agreement with other racing jurisdictions to reciprocate bans of this nature. Chief executive Denis Egan said, “We would not hear anything until a hearing takes place in France.

“We just have to deal with whatever comes up if a hearing takes place in whatever form it arises. It would be wrong to presuppose at this stage.”

The race fixing charge was thrown out of a London court last week at the request of the judge, who instructed the jury to return a not guilty verdict because of lack of evidence.

Mayo, Cork Revolt

THE Mayo senior football and hurling squads are at loggerheads with their county board over the allocation of grants to the GAA’s top players.

The new grants scheme was endorsed by the Central Council of the GAA on Saturday, but the Mayo board have lashed out at the deal brokered by the Gaelic Players Association.

The Tyrone and Derry boards have also opposed the scheme, and the Mayo board are clearly at odds with their footballers and hurlers.

Their stance has drawn an angry response from the Mayo players in both codes and they claimed, via a statement, “We are extremely disappointed that our county board would attempt to deny Mayo players parity of esteem with athletes of other codes through a scheme which does not damage the amateur ethos in any way.

“We stand firm on the grants agreement, which was achieved after a thorough and exacting process of negotiation. This subject has been discussed in the public for five years, and reported widely in the media. Prior to this week, there was very little public opposition to the concept of recognizing the efforts of inter-county players with government funding.

“However, we are now told there is unanimous opposition to the idea at Mayo county board level, yet it appears this decision was hastily taken by delegates without mandate from their clubs or without consultation with players involved.

“All Mayo players would ask of its county board is that they be afforded due respect and recognition under this proposed scheme, and that the hurlers and footballers who have the honor of wearing the county jersey with pride receive full support.”

Central Council gave the thumbs up to the grants at their meeting on Saturday when it was also confirmed that the distribution of all money involved would be handled by the Croke Park authorizes and not by the County Boars themselves.

Council also reiterated their belief that the new system does not contradict the GAA’s amateur status.

Meanwhile, Cork’s top footballers and hurlers have officially served strike notice on their county board and have withdrawn all cooperation in the latest twist to their dispute over the appointment of selectors to the Cork hurling and football teams.

Players will not be available to train, and hurling coach Gerald McCarthy and new football manager Teddy Holland are rumored to be reviewing their positions in light of the latest developments.

GAA Shorts

THE Leinster Council of the GAA are to investigate reports that referee Syl Doyle was attacked by a Moorefield fan after the Kildare side lost to Westmeath champions Tyrellspass in the provincial club championship semi-final in Mullingar on Sunday . . .

LOUTH midfielder Paddy Keenan has been told to take three months off in a bid to beat a groin injury and could miss the start of the National Football League campaign . . .

VETERAN defender Brian Lucey has made a shock return to the Kildare county squad after talks with new boss Kieran McGeeney . . .

LIAM Hogan is to stay on as manager of the Ballyboden St. Enda’s side that lost to Birr in the Leinster club hurling final . . .

TYRONE minor footballer Kyle Coney is to spend two weeks on trial with the Sydney Swans Aussie Rules side next summer . . .

LIMERICK City Council have turned down planning permission for floodlights at the Gaelic Grounds on the Ennis Road . . .

FORMER Kerry manager Jack O’Connor has been linked with a return to management with the Kerins O’Rahilly’s club . . .

JOHN McGrath is the new manager of the Tipperary senior camogie team.

Leinster Wins

LEINSTER have been promised a red hot reception in Edinburgh next Saturday, and coach Michael Cheika knows exactly what to expect after his side failed to pick up a bonus point in Friday night’s 28-14 win over the Scots.

The Celtic cousins clash again in the Heineken Cup at Murrayfield next weekend, with Cheika adamant that his team will have to step up to the mark after landing only three tries at the RDS.

“We always have concerns going to Edinburgh,” admitted Cheika. “History shows that we haven’t always had a good run up there and last year we had a tormented game there. What we have to do is work on the mistakes we made on Friday night when we failed to maintain the consistency of our first-half performance after the break.”

Cheika will look for the win first and foremost in Scotland on Saturday as his team hang onto their European Cup hopes in the Group of Death.

“I am just looking to win the game because it was never going to come down to anything but wins in this group,” claimed Cheika.

“You will see in the end, when the group comes down to it that you have just got to keep winning games. We have just got to try and win each game as it comes along. Sure we would have liked the bonus point on Friday night but I would have been far more disappointed if we had lost the game.

“There will be a lot more twists and turns in this pool before it is decided so performance is the main thing. We’ve just got to stay competitive, win and make sure the performance is right in Scotland.”

Munster Wins

MUNSTER dug deep to get their Heineken Cup hopes back on track with an impressive win over the Llanelli Scarlets on Saturday with captain Ronan O’Gara quick to acknowledge the efforts of his pack afterwards.

“This was a big ask up front because people had been writing our forward pack off,” said O’Gara. “We were off our game mentally by two percent against Leinster and it’s great to see the forwards really stand up to the task because people like Donncha O’Callaghan, Marcus Horan, Denis Leamy and David Wallace have probably been under-performing.

“But I’ve been playing behind these guys for the last 10 years and it’s been a good ride.”

Munster coach Declan Kidney also paid tribute to his pack after his team stormed to the top of Heineken Cup Pool Five with the 29-19 victory.

“The pack played well. We were 10-6 down at one stage and we showed great composure. All credit to the leaders - Ronan O’Gara, Anthony Foley and Mick O’Driscoll,” said Kidney. “It’s a huge achievement for us to come over to Stradley Park and win here.”

Late News

SOCCER: Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc has said he wants to quit the club for a “higher league” next summer despite the offer of a new long term contract at Parkhead.

GOLF: British Open champion Padraig Harrington has been named European Golfer of the Year for 2007 after his famous win at Carnoustie in July.

RUGBY: Former Ulster boss Mark McCall has joined the coaching staff at French club Castres.

RUGBY: Scrum-half Guy Easterby has rejoined Leinster on a short term contract.

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