Galway's All Star full forward Padraig Joyce will miss all IT Tralee's matches in this weekend's Sigerson Cup. He received a one-month suspension from the Connacht Council for "striking with the hand" in last month's Connacht League match against Sligo.
Joyce has already missed one Sigerson Cup match and Galway's National Football League match against Tyrone. He will miss up to three matches this weekend and one further League match, against Dublin on Sunday week. Galway manager John O'Mahony was critical of the impending suspension last week and even Connacht secretary John Prenty acknowledged the injustice of the situation.
"We heard the case and gave the minimum suspension applicable but it shows the unfairness of the system. He could miss six important matches because of this while a fella who did the same thing a month before wouldn't miss a game."
Meanwhile, Wexford manager Rory Kinsella has been forced to postpone until the weekend the naming of his team for Sunday's National Hurling League clash with neighbours Waterford. A flu bug has swept through the panel leaving Larry O'Gorman, Ger Cushe, Darragh Ryan, Sean Flood and Tom Dempsey all feeling under the weather.
Good news is the rehabilitation of centre back Liam Dunne who is on the road to recovery 14 months after breaking his leg and full forward Gary Laffan who, according to Kinsella, "will definitely be involved at some stage on Sunday".
There has been a change of venue for Sunday's top NHL match between the Connacht and Munster champions, Galway and Clare. Originally fixed for Athenry, the match will now go ahead in Ballinasloe. Antrim's Division One A match against Offaly has also been switched, from Casement Park to Loughgiel.
Down hurling manager Frank Dawson has made three changes to the team which lost heavily to Waterford on the opening day of the season. Tipperary are the visitors on Sunday and the home side welcome back the Ballygalget contingent after their All-Ireland campaign ended last weekend in defeat by Wexford champions Rathnure.
Graham Clarke, Paul Coulter and Barry Coulter come in at goalkeeper, left wing back and left corner forward, respectively. Out go Niall Sharvin, Rory McGrattan and Anthony Tinley.
Down (SH v Tipperary): G Clarke; J Browne, M Mallon, S Wilson; S Murray, P McCabe, P Coulter; N Sands, J McCarthy; E Trainor, G McGrattan, J McRickard; G Gordon, G Savage, B Coulter.
Monaghan (SF v Tyrone): G Murphy; D McDermott, D McKenna, N Marron; E Murphy, James Coyle, J Conlon; Joe Coyle, F McEnaney; G McGuirk, M Daly, D Freeman; D Swift, P McCall, P Duffy. Subs: J Sullivan, C Ronaghan, P Treanor, D Smyth, I Larmer, S Mullen, S McGinnity, P Hughes.
