DIARMUID CONNOLLY’S FIRST attempt to have his suspension reduced or overturned failed last night as the full 12-week ban was upheld by the Central Hearings Committee.
In a statement issued at 2.46am this morning, the CHC confirmed that the charge of minor physical interference against a linesman had been proven.
The Dublin forward now has the option to escalate his case to the Central Appeals Committee, the next step in the GAA disciplinary process.
Connolly was hit with the lengthy ban for putting his hand on linesman Ciaran Brannigan during a heated exchange in Dublin’s Leinster quarter-final win against Carlow.
It initially appeared that the St Vincent’s man would accept his punishment, which rules him out of the championship until a potential All-Ireland semi-final in late August.
But he challenged the decision, and the CHC sat late into the night on Tuesday to hear his case before deeming that the full ban was justified.
There was better news for Carlow as key midfielder Brendan Murphy had his own one-match ban overturned.
Murphy was sent off in that Portlaoise defeat to Dublin and, as it was his third dismissal of the season, was set to miss the round one qualifier against London in Ruislip.
But the CHC agreed that the first of the two yellow cards he received against the Dubs was issued in error and that the ban should be rescinded.
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Well done England, that’s two series won by NH teams now
@Trev: and the last for this afternoon