GAC throw the book at Tipperary's Corcoran

Tipperary's championship preparations were dealt a body blow this afternoon with the news that influential defender Eamonn Corcoran has received a three-month ban from the Games Administration Committee (GAC).

Corcoran was dismissed for striking during Tipperary's NHL match with Galway last month, an offence punishable by a 12-week ban from the date of the offence.

Despite appeals for clemency from the Galway player involved, the GAC applied the letter of the law during it's meeting last night and Corcoran, who appeared before the GAC a fortnight ago to plead his case, will be in the stands for the championship curtain-raiser against Clare on Sunday.

Tipperary manager Michael Doyle has already lost full-back Phillip Maher for the season through a cruciate ligament injury and must now plan without Corcoran for a further two months, ruling him out of the Munster championship in its entirety.

Meanwhile, it was also decided at last night's meeting of the GAC that Tyrone defender Gavin Devlin does have a case to answer following an apparent stamp on Laois's Colm Parkinson during the recent NFL final.

Devlin, who was yellow-carded on the advice of an umpire at the time, is hopeful of being involved in Tyrone's championship clash with Derry at the weekend but it is likely that no hearing will take place until Saturday at the earliest.

Tyrone officials contend that the incident was a reflex action rather than a deliberate stamp. However, if found guilty of stamping, Devlin could face a 12-week ban and find himself out of action until July 27th.

Elsewhere, footballers Colm Morris (Wexford) and James Mitchell (New York) were suspended for one month as were hurlers Mathew Boland (Louth), Jerome Quinn (Sligo) and Martin Williams (Westmeath).

The GAC also agreed to Kerry's request to postpone their senior hurling preliminary qualifier with Westmeath, which was due to take place this Sunday.

Following a request from Kerry boss Maurice Leahy the game has been reset to Sunday, May 31st as his team had been in action over the course of the previous four weekends.