GAA: The Dublin County Board has confirmed Diarmuid Connolly has been cleared play in the All-Ireland football final after succeeding in having his suspension overturned at a gathering of the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) at Croke Park on Monday night.
The Dublin forward was shown a straight red card by referee Maurice Deegan, on the advice of linesman Rory Hickey, during the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Donegal last Sunday week.
The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) confirmed an automatic four-week, one-match suspension, which would have ruled Connolly out of the final against Kerry on Sunday week.
Connolly was joined at the hearing by John Costello, Dublin’s full-time county board secretary.
The defence put forward by Costello included video evidence of the incident with Donegal’s Marty Boyle on 58 minutes and to suggest Connolly was acting in a defensive rather than aggressive manner.
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