Two supporters have been banned for 48 and 96 weeks, respectively, by Leinster Council after their investigation into the provincial intermediate hurling quarter-final between Wexford’s Oulart-The Ballagh and Naomh Barróg from Dublin.
According to a statement on the Leinster GAA website, the proposed suspensions – believed to be one from either club – were not challenged by Friday afternoon and accordingly, stand. The punishments are part of a range of recommended suspensions to have arisen from investigation and none of those affected have been named.
The disorder at Parnell Park, which involved substitutes and supporters joining a sideline fracas, was captured on the afternoon on a mobile phone and uploaded to social media. It received widespread coverage, including on television news.
The scenes were criticised by the Minister of State for Sport, Jack Chambers, who called for a thorough investigation and strong sanctions against those responsible.
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Naomh Barróg, who won the match, have accepted the recommended collective penalty of a €2,000 fine and the loss of home advantage should they progress from Saturday’s semi-final against Bray Emmets in Bray. One of their players has also accepted his one-match suspension and will miss this match.
All of the remaining proposed penalties have, however, been challenged. Oulart have requested hearings for all of theirs. In all, eight players – or playing members, as the statement describes them to include those who weren’t part of the match panel – are looking for a hearing.
These are believed to comprise six Oulart and two Naomh Barróg players, all of whom are thought likely to be taking issue with the severity of the proposed penalties rather disputing their responsibility.
Leinster Council stated that they would not be making any further comment while the matter was being processed. It is likely that the hearings will not produce a decision until the week after next.
