Tullamore player and official face proposed 96 and 48-week bans

A Tullamore player has been proposed for a 96-week suspension following an incident in which referee Barry Tiernan was pushed to the ground after their Leinster club senior football championship defeat to Summerhill two weeks ago.

A Tullamore official has also received a proposed 48-week ban for another flashpoint at the end of the same game, while the Offaly club are to be fined €2,500.

The player, who was not togged out on October 22nd at O’Connor Park, entered the field at the end of the game and shoved the Dublin referee in the back. It is understood he may seek a hearing and the club could take his case to the Disputes Resolution Authority, as they believe there are extenuating circumstances to be considered.

A 96-week ban is the minimum Leinster CCC could have proposed after the punishment for assaulting a match official was increased from 48 weeks to 96 weeks at GAA Congress last February.

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The game, which Summerhill won 1-9 to 1-7, ended in controversy after Tiernan initially awarded Tullamore a close-range free before changing that decision and upgrading his call to a penalty.

But before the spot-kick could be taken Tiernan, after taking advice from one of his linemen, reversed his decision again and returned to his first call of a free. With Tullamore failing to score the goal they needed, frustrations boiled over after the final whistle.

It is believed the Tullamore official proposed for a 48-week ban approached the linesman in question at the end of the game.

Meanwhile, Ulster disciplinary chiefs are awaiting the referee’s report from Sunday’s provincial club junior football quarter-final between Ballymaguigan of Derry and Arva from Cavan before initiating disciplinary proceedings.

Arva were comfortable 2-17 to 0-8 winners of a game both teams had a man sent off. The match was overshadowed by an incident in the moments after Ballymaguigan were reduced to 14 men, when a player from the Derry outfit pushed referee Mark Dorrian and then subsequently confronted a linesman, who was left requiring medical attention.

Sunday’s flashpoint in Owenbeg is also expected be dealt with as a Category VI offence – ‘striking or attempting to strike, or any type of assault on, a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official’ – which now carries a minimum suspension of 96 weeks.