Griffin's two-week ban adds to Clare woes

The new proposal to do away with any carryover of yellow-card offences has come too late for Clare’s Tony Griffin, who will miss next Sunday’s National Hurling League match against Kilkenny – to add to an already critical situation for Clare manager Mike McNamara.

Griffin was yellow-carded early in the second half of Sunday’s defeat to Cork, and having being called up for a similar second black-book offence in the previous game against Tipperary, at a similar stage, thus receives the automatic two-week ban.

“That’s the penalty as it currently stands,” said GAA Head of Games Pat Daly. “A player receiving two yellow cards in the same competition receivers a fortnight ban. It doesn’t matter if he misses one game or two games or no games.

It was announced yesterday that congress, when voting on the motions covering the experimental yellow cards, will have the option of doing away with any carryover of offences, in that the issuing of the cards will cease with the game.

In the meantime, unless Griffin is successful with any appeal, he will miss the Kilkenny game, which will see Clare still seeking the first league points of their campaign. Among the many talking points from Sunday’s defeat (including Clare’s unfortunate turn in being the first team to play a full-strength Cork team, while Galway, Tipperary, and Dublin got to play the weakened version) was the omission, just prior to throw-in, of centre back Gerry Quinn.

McNamara declined to be drawn into the exact reasons for Quinn’s removal from the starting 15, although there is clearly some disciplinary issue. Speaking after the Cork defeat, the Clare manager stated that every player had to be committed to Clare and wanted to win for Clare, “no matter what their name is”.

Quinn was a late omission prior to last month’s Waterford’s game, although that was put down to a broken nose, and the problem this time appears to be his late arrival for training last Friday. However, McNamara suggested his omission was by no means permanent.

“For the moment he’s not on the panel, but I’ve never closed the door on anyone. The door is always open and we’re not in a situation where we can disregard people that want to play for Clare. And I wouldn’t be in a situation where I would end anyone’s career.”

While Clare’s position at the bottom of the Division One table is worrying, Dublin’s position as joint leaders along with Kilkenny and Tipperary couldn’t be more satisfying for former Clare manager Anthony Daly, who is enjoying a hugely impressive start to his reign with Dublin.

Sunday’s one-point win over Waterford has edged them closer to a Division One final spot, and that could be decided in this Sunday’s trip to Thurles – where a win over Tipperary would almost secure a first hurling league final appearance since 1946 (where, coincidentally, they lost to Clare).

Dublin’s performance against Waterford was notable on several counts, including the return of centre back Ronan Fallon, who showed no signs of rustiness after his recent sojourn in Australia.

At the same time, Daly received confirmation that the O’Carroll brothers, Ross and younger brother Rory, would be committing to his panel for the season. Both O’Carroll’s played a key defensive role in Kilmacud Crokes winning the All-Ireland club football title last week, but hurling was always their number one game.

Finally, the Munster Council have confirmed that their under-21 football final between Cork and Tipperary will go ahead this Saturday at Semple Stadium.