The Tipperary county board's one line statement that All Star defender Cathal Barrett has been released from the senior hurling panel "for disciplinary reasons" has done little but prompt further speculation as to how long he'll remain sidelined.
Tipperary manager Michael Ryan informed panel members of his decision to drop Barrett prior to a meeting on Tuesday night, the team's first gathering since their Munster quarter-final defeat to Cork last Sunday week.
What is certain is Barrett was going to be sidelined for at least six weeks anyway, having injured his knee in that Cork game, with Tipperary’s first qualifier game set for July 1st.
Speaking to Tipp FM, county board secretary Tim Floyd suggested the door remains open to the defender for a possible return to the panel in the later stages of the championship: “These kinds of things make headlines, unfortunately, but still, it’s a matter between the county (team) management and Cathal Barrett,” he said “They set down the standards and they expect all of the players to follow the guidelines. It’s unfortunate in this case that Cathal was out injured and he let his guard down.
“But I presume they’ve left the door open to him, that’s it’s not a fait accompli. It’s like the child being put sitting in the corner for a while. All of these things are blown out of proportion in a lot of ways.”
Meanwhile, Tipperary's football goalkeeper Evan Comerford is expected to appeal against the 12-week ban proposed by the county's Competitions Control Committee on Monday evening.
Comerford has three days to respond after he was suspended for ‘minor physical interference’ following an incident with referee Paddy Russell in a club game last week. It’s understood that members of the county’s hearings committee have been put on notice and told that they may convene on Friday evening to hear Comerford’s case.
