Birr back into Offaly championship

Offaly hurling got the news it wanted last night as the county board decided to reinstate Birr into the current county championship. After a lengthy meeting in Tullamore, it was eventually decided that Birr's appeal against the expulsion would be upheld and they could continue in the county championship.

The Leinster club champions were expelled from the county championship last week after failing to fulfill a group-stage championship match with St Rynagh's, originally scheduled for Easter Sunday but then moved to the following day - a date which Birr claimed caused conflict with their previous arrangements.

But last night's decision means that the fixture with St Rynagh's will be rescheduled for a suitable date in the near future and no points will be deducted from Birr. However, the club was fined £500.

There were some indications that the club's inter-county players would withdraw from the panel if Birr were not reinstated. The club were All-Ireland champions in 1995 and '98 and accounted for four of the team which started last year's All-Ireland semi-final, narrowly losing to eventual champions Cork. Included were Brian Whelahan, his brother Simon, Johnny Pilkington and Joe Errity.

In Galway, Eugene Cloonan's appeal against a three-month suspension was also heard last night but no decision will be made known until the player himself is informed. Cloonan received the lengthy ban for the sending off during a club game with Athenry last month.

Elsewhere, the Games Administration Committee (GAC) yesterday announced a 12-week suspension for Wexford hurler Eugene Furlong following his sending off during the National Hurling League game with Cork on April 16th.

Furlong was red-carded by referee Brendan Kelly after just 11 minutes of the game for a dangerous pull on Seanie McGrath and it rules the corner back out Wexford's Leinster championship opener against Offaly on June 18th.

Also receiving notifications of their suspensions yesterday were footballers Joe Bergin of Galway and Mattie Forde of Wexford. Bergin was banned for four weeks as a result of his red card against Tyrone in the All-Ireland under-21 semi-final two weeks ago. That incident occured early in the second half with Bergin reported to have struck his opponent.

Forde's suspension of eight weeks follows last Sunday's Leinster championship round-robin game with Longford. Three minutes into the second half of a game which Wexford still won, Forde saw red after an off-the-ball incident with Longford's Enda Ledwith. As a result, he will miss the remainder of Wexford's round-robin games and also the game with Dublin on June 11th should they qualify.

It was also learned yesterday that Meath captain Graham Geraghty has been requested by the GAC to make a personal appearance at their next disciplinary meeting, if he so wishes. Geraghty was sent off with seven minutes remaining in last Sunday's football league final in Croke Park for catching Derry's Kieran McKeever with an elbow.

Meanwhile, TG4 yesterday announced details of their expanded championship action for the coming season. In co-operation with RTE, they will be showing delayed broadcasts in a late night Sunday programme of key matches in the early rounds of the provincial championships from May to the end of July.

The series, titled Sportiris ar an Lathair, begins this Sunday (11.25) with a delayed broadcast of the Leinster football round-robin game between Carlow and Wexford.