Galvin facing another eight-week suspension

MUNSTER SF CHAMPIONSHIP:FOR THE fourth time in three years, Kerry footballer Paul Galvin has been hit with another lengthy suspension, this one set to rule him out of the championship until the All-Ireland semi-finals – provided, of course, Kerry get that far.

It was confirmed yesterday that the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) have proposed an eight-week suspension (four weeks, doubled for a repeat of a similar offence) following their review of an incident in last Sunday’s Munster semi-final replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Television footage caught Galvin sticking his fingers into the mouth of Cork’s Eoin Cadogan mouth and “fish-hook” him, shortly after the players clashed when Galvin had tackled the Cork defender.

Before proposing the suspension, the CCCC had on Monday asked match referee Pat McEnaney to review the incident, given he hadn’t dealt with it on the match day.

The response, as expected, was that McEnaney supported the CCCC, who had already agreed amongst themselves that Galvin had a case to answer under the terms of Rule 7.2b, which incorporates behaviour that may be deemed dangerous to an opponent and carries a minimal four-week suspension.

That counts as a Category Two offence, and given Galvin was guilty of a similar offence in last February’s NFL meeting in Páirc Uí Rinn (when Cadogan and himself both received red cards after being seen on television wrestling on the ground during a first-half incident) the four weeks were doubled to eight, as same-category offences repeated within a 48-week period are punishable by doubling any suspension.

The Kerry County Board were unavailable for comment last night about whether or not Galvin would seek the personal hearing, at the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), as is his right. The hearing does seem inevitable given the length of the suspension, but Galvin wasn’t successful in having the similar suspension reduced earlier this year, so it seems unlikely Kerry would pursue the issue to the Central Appeals Committee (CAC).

What is certain at this stage is if the suspension remains unaltered, then Galvin will miss Kerry’s Munster football final against Limerick on July 4th, and assuming they the reigning All-Ireland champions win that, he’ll also miss Kerry’s All-Ireland quarter-final, which is due to take place on the weekend of August 1st.

Galvin’s suspension would expire on August 7th, so he mostly likely would be available should that quarter-final go to a replay.

Either way it represents another black mark on the already poor disciplinary record of the 30- year-old Galvin, who appeared to have put the worst of this behind him when he was named Footballer of the Year for 2009.

But the early league game against Cork, in which Galvin also appears to stick his fingers into Cadogan’s mouth, suggested the lessons had not been learnt.

Kerry protested Galvin’s innocence on that occasion, claiming he had been provoked, but he received a four-week suspension nonetheless, doubled to take into account his ban from the previous summer.

Last Sunday's incident, which took place in the 70th minute, inevitably drew the attention of the authorities, especially when it was highlighted on RTÉ's The Sunday Game, although it was ultimately up to referee McEnaney to clarify whether he saw what happened and took no action or, if not, whether he felt that further action is warranted.

Once he decided on the latter, McEnaney effectively rubber-stamped the CCCC’s suspension.

McEnaney has in the past been shown to be willing to revisit decisions or lack of decisions on the request of the CCCC.

Earlier this year, three Tyrone players and one from Derry picked up suspensions after the CCCC reviewed their opening league match in Celtic Park and asked McEnaney to reflect on a series of incidents that took place.

PAUL GALVIN INDISCIPLINE RECORD:

2010:CCCC propose a four-week suspension after reviewing video evidence and notifying match referee Pat McEnaney of an incident in Sunday's Munster semi-final replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, where Galvin appears to stick his fingers into the mouth of Cork's Eoin Cadogan. Proposed four-week suspension is automatically doubled to eight weeks as same-category offences repeated within a 48-week period are punishable by doubling any suspension.

2010:Sent off on a straight red in February's NFL game against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh after wrestling on the ground with Cork's Eoin Cadogan, during which Galvin also appears to stick his fingers into Cadogan's mouth. Four-week suspension is again doubled to eight weeks because it is also a repeat Category Two offence.

2009:Sent off after 25 minutes in the Munster semi-final replay against Cork, together with Cork wing back Noel O'Leary, for an off-the-ball incident, and given a four-week suspension.

2008:Sent off as Kerry captain on a second yellow card in Kerry's Munster championship opener against Clare, having slapped the notebook from referee Paddy Russell's hand. Is given a 24-week suspension, although this was eventually reduced to 12-weeks on appeal, to the Disputes Resolution Authority, and subsequently makes a late appearance in Kerry's All-Ireland final defeat to Tyrone.

2006:Sent off in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Armagh for an incident with Armagh water-carrier, their former midfielder John Toal.

2005:Charged with bringing the Association into disrepute and verbally abusing a referee during a north Kerry championship quarter-final, playing for Finuge against Ballylongford. Given a six- and three-month suspension, to run concurrently, but had the six-month suspension halved on appeal.