DERRY FOOTBALL:FAILURE TO prove the incident actually occurred has seen Derry footballer James Conway's eight-week suspension, imposed after he allegedly broke the jaw of intercounty teammate James Kielt in a club game, dismissed.

The player is now available to represent Derry on July 11th in the second-round All-Ireland qualifiers.

It is not yet established whether Kielt will be fit to line out.

An appeals hearing last Tuesday night was forced to overturn the initial suspension due to a lack of evidence in the referee’s report or from Conway’s Ballinderry club.

Two club officials were handed six-month suspensions for their failure to assist the investigation. The club was banned from all adult league competitions for six months also, but this has been reduced to three months.

Ballinderrry will not be permitted to defend their county title as it stands.

Conway was dropped off the Derry panel by manager Damien Cassidy, but he can now be re-selected.

Recently, the eight-week suspensions of Derry captain Fergal Doherty and Brian Mullan, arising from the Ulster football championship game against Monaghan, were halved on appeal.

Barrister, former player and television pundit Joe Brolly assisted in this process.

Meanwhile, Pat Clancy has stepped down as manager of the Louth senior hurling team.

The former Westmeath hurler made the decision following the the county’s Rackard Cup quarter-final defeat to Fingal last weekend.

He was highly critical of the format of the third-tier championship this year, which saw weaker counties serve as mere cannon fodder to the likes of Meath and London.

Tonight’s Fixture

Munster Junior Football final– Cork v Clare, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm.