Armagh must now plan for Saturday’s Ulster semi-final against Monaghan without the trio of suspended players - Brendan Donaghy, Andy Mallon and Kieran Toner - after their appeal against a one-match ban was rejected by the GAA’s Central Appeals Committee (CAC).
All three players had already appeared before the Central Hearings Committee, although they didn’t appear before the CAC in person last night: according to a statement from Croke Park, “the players chose to proceed by way of written submissions so neither they, nor the CHC or CCCC, were in attendance. The CAC rejected the appeals.”
Donaghy, Mallon and Toner each received their one-match bans for their involvement in the pre-match parade brawl which marred their Ulster quarter-final against Cavan in the Athletic Grounds earlier this month.
There is still the option of taking their cases before the Disputes Resolution Authority, but this is highly unlikely given the proximity of Saturday evening’s game at Clones.
The three players were suspended on the basis of “rough play”. Cavan also had two players banned for their involvement, Martin Dunne and Fergal Flanagan, but they chose not to appeal their one-match bans, which means they too will be unavailable for Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Westmeath at Breffni Park.
