TULLAMORE GAA CLUB are understood to have recruited the services of Omagh solicitor Conor Salley – who recently handled Kilcoo’s appeal against the appointment of Paul Faloon as the Down county final referee – to appeal the proposed suspensions handed down arising out of scenes following their recent loss in the Leinster senior club football championship to Summerhill.

The most severe proposed suspension was 96 weeks, handed to a player who was not a part of the matchday panel. He pushed referee Barry Tiernan in the back before he was led away.

Another club member has been handed a 48-week proposed suspension for an incident involving a different official following the game.

Tullamore were also handed financial penalties by the Leinster Council of €2,500.

The incident followed the game on 22 October at O’Connor Park after controversial scenes in second-half stoppage time. 

Tullamore trailed by two points after four minutes of injury time.

A high ball into the Summerhill goalmouth was fielded but ultimately handled on the ground inside the large parallelogram by Adam Flanagan of the Meath champions.

Tiernan initially awarded a 13-metre free, but then changed his decision to a penalty, on the advice of his umpire. He then reverted to a free kick after an intervention from his linesman, just as Tullamore full-back Paul McConway stood over the spot kick.

Over three minutes of delay was followed by John Furlong attempting to find the net from the free kick.

With 13 Summerhill players on the line, his shot was blocked, but there was still more play until the final whistle sounded with roughly 72 minutes on the clock.

Immediately on the final whistle sounded, a number of players, officials and supporters from the Tullamore club crowded around Tiernan to remonstrate with the Dublin referee.