Mayo supporter likely to be stuck with 12-month ban for pitch invasion

The Mayo supporter who invaded the pitch during August's Kerry-Mayo All-Ireland football semi-final is likely to be stuck with his 12-month suspension from membership of the GAA.

Mick Barrett from Castlebar attracted a great deal of notoriety after he tried to confront match referee Cormac Reilly during the match in Limerick's Gaelic Grounds.

Sources in Croke Park have indicated that, as Barrett didn’t seek a hearing when the proposed suspension was handed down, he has no further remedies in the matter.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that Jim McGuinness, who stepped down as Donegal manager the week before last, will give his first interview since on RTE's The Saturday Night Show tomorrow.

McGuinness will talk about his four memorable years in charge of his county and also about his role as performance consultant with Glasgow Celtic.

After news that Waterford hurlers would be losing Séamus Prendergast and Shane Walsh to retirement comes confirmation that four of Fermanagh's most experienced footballers have announced the end of their inter-county careers.

Tommy McElroy, Mark Murphy, Paul Ward and Eamon Maguire have all confirmed to manager Peter McGrath that they won't be returning in 2015.

Also missing next season will be Stephen McElrone (injured), Brian Cox (work commitments) and Ronan Ormsby (exam-tied).

"Tommy McElroy has retired, Mark Murphy is heading back at some stage to Australia, Paul Ward made it known early on that he wouldn't be committing and Eamon Maguire has intimated that his county career is over and, as you know, Barry (Owens) has also retired," McGrath told Fermanagh newspaper, the Impartial Reporter.

Couldn’t commit

“I spoke to Eamon a few weeks ago and he took a number of things into account and felt he couldn’t commit and that now was maybe the time to pull the curtain down, although having watched him (for St Patrick’s) on Sunday against Roslea I thought he was excellent and hopefully he will re-consider his decision.

“Tommy McElroy was one of our more consistent performers last season but he lives in Dublin and he has injury problems.

“I respect that at the end of the day a player has to decide, given the condition of the injuries, whether he can continue to commit playing at a very intense level and if it is something that is maybe going to impact later in his life then you’ve got to make the decision that is going to be sensible for your own well-being.”