The Galway football board had not pronounced on the fate of the county's star forward, Michael Donnellan, at a late hour last night. There was no official word from the board as to what punishment, if any had been meted out to the All Star, who was involved in a controversial incident with referee Tommy Gavin after a club match on Sunday.
Various rumours were in circulation yesterday in regard to the matter which could have serious consequences for Donnellan himself and for the Galway team who will be defending their All-Ireland championship this year, having beaten Kildare in last year's final.
Among the suggestions were that Donnellan was not named in the referee's report and might, therefore escape sanction. It was also being suggested that the matter would be referred to the football board's disciplinary committee for their comments and a possible decision.
For the most part, however, any reliable information was hard to come by. Reporters are not allowed to attend meetings of this sort.
The incident which has given rise to the problem happened at the end of last Sunday evening's club championship preliminary round replay at Tuam Stadium between the title holders Corofin and Dunmore McHales which Corofin won 1-15 to 0-14. The sides had drawn 0-11 to 0-11 in the original match.
Two players, one from each side, were sent off in the course of last Sunday's game. They were Donnellan's brother Chris from Dunmore and Trevor Burke from Corofin.
It has been reported that there was some kind of a confrontation between Michael Donnellan and the referee as the teams left the pitch at the end of the match. Observers say that Michael Donnellan came in for some heavy tackles during the course of the match and that he was upset by that as well as the sending off of his brother.
What kind of a confrontation took place remains in some doubt but it would appear than under the relevant rules Donnellan can be suspended for either six months or a year, depending the seriousness of the incident, with either punishment ruling him out of Galway's defence of the All-Ireland title they won last September by beating Kildare. The Donnellan brothers are sons of the former Galway captain, John Donnellan, who figured in the three-in-a-row team of the 1960s. He also served a number of years ail Eireann Eireann as a Fine Gael TD.
Michael Donnellan was chosen as an All Star after last year's All-Ireland campaign and was also named Young Player of the Year in recognition of his contribution to Galway's victorious run. ail Eireann Eireann as a Fine Gael TD.
Sligo have been hit by a spate of injuries as they prepare for next month's Connacht senior football championship showdown with All-Ireland champions, Galway or London at Markievicz Park.
Forwards Sean Davey and Tommie Brennan are not expected to be fit in time for the June 27th clash. Curry clubman Davey, a member of the county under-21 side beaten by Roscommon in this year's Connacht final, dislocated his shoulder in a club game last weekend. Full forward Paul Taylor has a hamstring injury, but he hopes to be fully fit, but Kevin Giblin (Curry) is receiving treatment for a broken bone in his hand and is a doubtful starter.
Midfielder Paul Durcan and forward Dessie Sloyane are also nursing injuries and both will almost certainly have returned to full fitness in four weeks' time.
