BACK TO BASICS; ALLIANZ NFL DIV TWO FINAL: Dublin v Westmeath Pillar focuses on final and makes EIGHT changes.

Byline: BY OLRA BANNON

AFTER having eight players suspended, Dublin last night made the necessary eight changes to the team for tomorrow night's Allianz league decider against Westmeath.

Following a tumultuous week Paul Caffrey got back to basics last night and demonstrated the impressive strength in depth in his squad by naming a high quality team for the Division Two showdown in Navan.

Only the half-back line remains unchanged from the side which started last Sunday's horror-show in Parnell Park which resulted in bans for 16 players from both sides.

Barry Cahill and Paul Casey come into the full-back line for the suspended Ross McConnell and Paddy Andrews while there is an all-new midfield - Shane Ryan and Darren Magee replacing Ciaran Whelan and Eamon Fennell.

Kevin Bonner, Mark Vaughan, Conal Keaney and John O'Brien all comes into the attack for Flynn, Connolly, Quinn and Bernard Brogan. Alan Brogan is still ruled out following his red card against Armagh two weeks ago.

The four suspended Dublin players who have requested a hearing - Bernard Brogan, Diarmaid Connolly (both two months), Tomas Quinn and Paddy Andrews (both one month) - are due to appear before the Central Hearings Committee tonight.

And the Dublin team named last night could be subject to change in the unlikely event of any of those players having their suspensions quashed.

While Meath had still not indicated yesterday whether any of their players wanted to have their case heard by the CHC, it's expected some of those hit with two month bans will reject the proposed penalties.

Although there is not the same urgency for the Royals as their next game is not until the Championship clash with Carlow on June 18, it's understood provision has been made for their cases to be heard tonight at short notice should they make a late request.

Meath feel they have been particularly hard done by as five of their eight suspended players got two month bans which rules them out of two Championship games - the Carlow game followed by a potential Leinster quarter-final with Wexford two weeks later.

In contrast the Dublin players will only miss one Championship game against Louth on June 8.

The GAA yesterday responded to what they described as "some misinformed comment" regarding their disciplinary process.

The association has been accused of having a system that is unwieldy and inefficient, though the speed with which the CCCC imposed the bans in the wake of Sunday's Parnell Park brawl defied those criticisms.

In a statement yesterday the GAA explained the mechanics of the process - one hearing, one appeal of the decision, one opportunity for arbitration.

The Hearings Committee, who are the decisionmakers, either impose a penalty or exonerate based on evidence heard.

"If the appeal is unsuccessful then the penalty remains imposed and all avenues of appeal are now exhausted within the GAA.

"However if the defending party is still not willing to accept the penalty, a request for arbitration may be lodged to the DRA (Disputes Resolution Authority) who are an external independent body and all their decisions are binding."

DUBLIN: S Cluxton, D Henry, B Cahill, P Casey, C Moran, B Cullen, G Brennan, S Ryan, D Magee, K Bonner, M Vaughan, B MacManamon, J Sherlock (capt), C Keaney, J O'Brien

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton, F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane, M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy, M Flanagan, D O'- Donoghue, F Wilson, J Smith, D Harte, A Mangan, D Glennon, D Bannon

CAPTION(S):

ROYAL RUMBLE: Referee Paddy Russell shows red cards last week to Dublin's Paddy Andrews and Bernard Brogan and Meath duo Shane McArarney and Niall McKeigue and, below, Dublin manager Paul 'Pillar' Caffrey; MIDFIELD MAESTRO Ryan comes in at centre-field for Dublin