CARLOW MANAGER TURLOUGH O’Brien and coach Steven Poacher are set to have a hearing in front of the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) to fight suspensions being proposed by the GAA.

The42 understands the bans are related to an incident at the end of Carlow’s round 6 Division 3 defeat to Down on 16 March.

The Barrowsiders lost the game at Netwatch Cullen Park by a point, when a draw would have guaranteed their survival heading into the final round of games.

It’s understood referee James Bermingham was confronted after he blew the final whistle of Down’s 0-15 to 1-11 victory. Carlow were in possession and on the attack when Bermingham called for full-time.

Carlow’s defeat to Laois on the final day confirmed their relegation to Division 4 due to their inferior head-to-head record with Offaly, who defeated Sligo by a point to stay up.

O’Brien and Poacher were hit with proposed suspensions by the CCC but sought not to accept the penalty, which cleared their involvement with the team for the round 7 game against Laois.

If the pair do receive bans it would be a significant blow to Carlow’s championship ambitions. O’Brien and Poacher played a major role in their rise in fortunes over the past few years, guiding them to promotion from Division 4 and the Leinster semi-final in 2018.

They were due to face the CHC last Thursday night in a bid to clear their names but the hearing was postponed. It seems likely the hearing will be rescheduled this week.

Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here: