The Castlehaven and Cork player Niall Cahalane has been suspended by the Executive Committee of the Cork County Board for 48 weeks and, therefore, will not be available for his team's Munster club final against Fethard of Tipperary next Sunday.

Cahalane played a highly significant part in Castlehaven's victory (2-10 to 1-3) over Laune Rangers in the semi-final of the competition last week.

The suspension follows an incident at the end of the Cork county football final replay at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on November 9th which Beara won by 1-10 to 1-7.

On that occasion Cahalane was seen to approach the referee, Niall Barrett, just after the final whistle sounded. He then raced off the pitch, even though his Castlehaven colleagues remained and applauded the Beara captain when he received the Cork championship cup. The referee was given a Garda escort as he left the pitch.

Because of the fact that Beara is a combination of junior teams in the area and therefore not a club team, Castlehaven advanced to the Munster semi-final against the Kerry county champions, Laune Rangers, whom they beat last Sunday.

The length of the sentence, in effect one year, dates from the date of Cahalane's last appearance which was against Laune Rangers in that match.

Cahalane, who is in his middle 30s and who won All-Ireland medals with Cork in 1989 and 1990, may now be at the end of his intercounty career as a result of this suspension. As things stand at present an appeal to the Munster Council would not be likely to overthrow the Cork decision and, even if the duration of the suspension was to be reduced it, would mean that Cahalane would not be available to play again in the rest of Cork's National League programme.

An official statement from the Cork County Board yesterday stated: "The Executive Committee of the Cork County Board, acting with the plenary powers given to them by the board, has imposed a suspension of 48 weeks on Castlehaven player, Niall Cahalane. This suspension commences from the date of the player's last game.

"This is the minimum penalty specified in rule for the offence reported by the referee.

"In relation to John Cleary, the executive committee of the Cork County Board did not impose a suspension on the player but he was given a warning."

From that statement it would appear that Cahalane has been dealt with under Rule 137 of the GAA's rule book. This is headed: "Misconduct on the Field".

Section B of that rule states: "A player or official interfering with a referee, umpire, linesman or opposing team official shall incur suspension". The rule says that for (1) abusing or threatening language the suspensions should be for two months; (2) for any type of interference, six months and (3) for any type of assault 12 months.

On that basis it would seem certain that Cahalane was dealt with under section B3 of the rule.

Meanwhile, it now seems certain that a tour of Ireland by an Australian Rules schools side will take place next year starting at Easter. The tour will be organised by the GAA and the newly formed Australian Football Academy and the matches will be played under a composite set of rules similar to that used in senior matches in recent times.

The touring Australian side will play matches in all four provinces at dates and times to be confirmed. Their first match will be against Leinster on Easter Sunday, hopefully as a curtain-raiser to a major National League match. The following Tuesday they are scheduled to meet an Ulster team, and on Thursday and a team from Connacht, with a match against a Munster team on Sunday 19th of April, which would be in Ennis as a curtain-raiser to the Clare-Galway National League match.

The possibility of a resumption of the full international clashes between Australia and Ireland is still very much alive. The Australian Football League is very much interested in coming to Ireland and discussions have taken place with a view to a resumption of the series.

The matches caused much more interest in Ireland than they did in Australia but there has been a renewed interested in Australia in recent times and it now looks likely that an Australian tour of Ireland will be agreed between the AFL and the GAA for the autumn of 1999.

One of the problems facing the two bodies is in regard to suitable dates. As things stand at the moment October 1999 seems the date most likely to fit in with the domestic programmes in Australia and Ireland.