Ryan Mc Menamin - Disciplinary Problems

Disciplinary Problems

Discipline has been an underlying problem in McMenamin's career, which at times threatened to overshadow his achievements. This indiscipline has been apparent throughout his career, and he has made a name for his verbal taunting of his direct opponents during matches as well, which was mentioned by Oisin McConville in his autobiography.

His 2005 achievements were blotted somewhat by his disciplinary record. He was given a yellow card late on in the replayed Ulster Championship, for dropping his knee onto a fallen player. This was upgraded to a sending off after the game, which meant that McMenamin would be suspended for the following four weeks, but Tyrone launched an appeal, employing the services of former player, and practising solicitor, Fergal Logan. The appeal was successful but only after McMenamin missed the All-Ireland qualifier against Monaghan.

In the opening game of the 2007 Ulster Senior Football Championship, despite being one of the few first choice panelists available on the injury-hit side, he was substituted just before half time because he had already picked up a yellow card and a ticking—meaning he was one bad tackle away from being sent off. He was visibly upset when he was shown coming off the field.

As a result of his behaviour in a league match against Kerry on Sunday 15 February, where he was seen to grab Paul Galvin in the groin area, he was banned for eight weeks. Initially the ban was for six weeks, but due to the nature of McMenamin's behaviour the ban was raised to eight weeks, when the Tyrone County Board appealed the initial six week ban. In addition to the incident with Paul Galvin for which he received the ban, McMenamim was involved in a number of unsavoury incidents throughout the match, which led to intense criticism in the media.