Dublin manager Tom Carr is facing a six-month ban, which will keep him in the stand for the remainder of Dublin's championship matches.

The GAA's Games Administration met last night to determine Carr's fate and an announcement is expected this morning.

The GAC were considering the report of referee Mick Curley on Carr's incursion on to the pitch during Dublin's All-Ireland quarter-final with Kerry.

Late in the match, Carr came on to remonstrate with Curley over the award of a free against Paddy Christie for a foul on John Crowley. He was pushed away by Dublin centre back Jonny McGee and, as he left the field, pushed aside the arm of a linesman.

The Official Guide is quite explicit on this subject, differentiating between an assault and lesser forms of contact. Six months is the prescribed suspension for the latter offence.

That would depend on whether Curley cited Carr for the incident with the linesman but yesterday sources close to the Dublin team acknowledged that they were expecting six months.

Carr will be the third high-profile manager to be suspended this season.

Cork's Larry Tompkins received a three-match suspension for his behaviour during the Munster final against Kerry and All-Ireland semi-finalists Derry have been without manager Eamonn Coleman on the line for their last three matches.

Unlike the other two, Carr has not been in trouble before for this offence but with the referee's report apparently explicit on the matter, there was no way out for him.

Speaking earlier yesterday, Carr said that he was "philosophical" about the prospect of the suspension. "The whole thing is that managers will be soon asked to move back up into the stand in all matches.

"I attended a discussion on the subject with other managers before it was announced that Croke Park would be installing a special area further back for managers during games. I'm not being flippant when I say that's the way it'll end up."

Meanwhile, Coleman told the Irish News yesterday that he intended staying in the stand even though his suspension ended with Sunday's defeat of Tyrone.

"Having spent the last three games away from the sideline because of my suspension I have decided it is the only place to watch a game.

"You have a better view of the field for starters and you also have more time to yourself to think - there's less distraction and fewer people talking to you."

Carr agrees with the thrust of Coleman's opinion. "You don't have as good a view on the sideline."

He also accepted that it led to incidents like the one he was involved in. "It is not a good idea."

The GAA have guidelines on what suspension entails for managers.

There is the obvious sideline ban that prohibits the manager from being on the side of the field and in the dugout.

A simple sideline ban doesn't extend beyond this and Coleman in Clones last Sunday for example was permitted to go to the team dressing-room before and after the match and during the half-time interval.

A full suspension such as that facing Carr means that he will not be permitted any access to the team dressing-room or dugout. There is a further restriction relating to the media.

County boards are asked not to allow the suspended manager act as a spokesperson for the team. There are no restrictions on training or coaching as they are regarded as unenforceable.