The Leinster Council are expecting a report before Friday on Sunday's fractious O'Byrne Cup final and have indicated that the matters arising from the various incidents will be examined by the administration committee within a fortnight.

Longford's Enda Barden faces a possible three-month suspension if he is cited for striking an opponent with his boot, Westmeath half forward John Cooney could receive a one-month ban for his dismissal and Westmeath manager Brendan Lowry may have to deal with the repercussions of his first-half pitch encroachment when he appeared to make contact with an opposition player.

Lowry confirmed yesterday that Dublin referee Gay McCabe had banished him to the dugout after that incident and agreed that it had been a difficult match to officiate.

"It would have been hard, that's for sure. I don't think it was a particularly nasty game, though. It was played at a championship level and although it seemed to boil over for a while, it wasn't dirty. There was a huge crowd there, the conditions were terrible and the fact that there is such a strong rivalry between the two teams heightened the pressure."

When it was put to Lowry that he seemed particularly unhappy with a number of the referee's decisions - he ran on to the field to remonstrate with McCabe - the Westmeath manager admitted that he had found certain passages of play frustrating.

"Well, I felt that both sides were a bit unlucky to have players sent off and that once Longford had a lad sent off the referee was trying to even it up a bit. The fact that we had lost a lad (Martin Flanagan) with a broken wrist so early didn't help.

"But I am one of those people who try and kick every ball and it's just when you see your players put in so much effort, you get annoyed for them. But Longford were the better side overall on Sunday and deserved to win it."

While Barden is certain to feature in McCabe's report, it remains to be seen how he interprets Lowry's intervention.

A national referees' committee member said that officials can, when confronted by players or mentors, cite them for dissent, which is the mildest charge, for challenging the authority of the official or for abuse.

"A player called to answer the latter charge is liable to serve a minimum of a two-month suspension," commented the referees' committee member.

Depending on how strictly referee McCabe views Sunday's events, it is possible that a significant number of players and mentors from both sides could be cited for dissent.

While the win represents a significant milestone in Longford's history, Westmeath have already begun to turn their thoughts to Sunday's National League derby against Offaly.

"You could well see close to another 10,000 people at that," predicted Lowry. "This is a big game for us. If we are to have any chance of promotion, we need to take the points."

Resumption of normal duties, however, will be made more difficult by the absences sustained through Sunday's effort.

Full forward Martin Flanagan could be waylaid for up to three months, depending on the severity of the wrist fracture he suffered in the opening encounters. John Cooney, dismissed in the first half, awaits the extent of his suspension while Derek Heavin was stretchered off with the recurrence of a calf injury.

"That's the most serious aspect of Sunday's loss, the fact that we now have to plan without three important forward players," concluded Lowry.

Yesterday's report on the O'Byrne Cup final quoted Seamus Aldridge as saying: "Who says Longford football has no place in the GAA." In fact he said: "Who says knockout football has no place in the GAA."