Clare duo and Galway forward cleared to play in quarter-finals after proposed bans overturned
Peter Duggan of Clare takes a sideline cut during the Munster final against Limerick.
CLARE duo Rory Hayes and Peter Duggan along with Galway’s Cianan Fahy have all been cleared to play in this Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.
In what represents another devastating blow to the GAA’s creaking disciplinary system, all three players have seen proposed suspensions quashed by the Central Hearings Committee tonight.
Galway hurler Fahy had been facing a two-match ban for allegedly stamping on Kilkenny defender Richie Reid during the Leinster SHC decider, while Hayes and Duggan were contesting one-match suspensions arising from Munster final incidents with Limerick’s Seamus Flanagan and William O’Donoghue respectively.
None of the three was sent off but, instead, they were cited retrospectively by the CCCC on foot of video footage highlighted on RTÉ.
Fahy’s case was the first to be heard tonight, and it’s understood the case against him was dropped after a "procedural" query was raised by Galway.
As a consequence, he will now be free to face Cork in Saturday’s quarter-final at Semple Stadium – as well as an All-Ireland semi-final against Limerick should the Tribesmen progress.
The charges facing Hayes and Duggan were also thrown out by the CHC, and the pair can now face Wexford in Saturday’s second quarter-final at the Thurles venue.
Clare chairman Kieran Keating told Independent.ie that they were cleared because of "irregularities on the CCCC side in terms of how they proceeded with the disciplinary matter."
Keating added: “We are relieved that the lads are cleared to play. We felt that we had a good case anyway in terms of exonerating them, and we are happy to get the result and we drive on now for Saturday.”
Today's Headlines
TRAGIC ACCIDENT | Boy (12) who died in crash with a truck took mum’s car as she slept, inquest hears
Breaking | Former NI footballer Paddy McCourt found guilty of sexually assaulting woman in bar
WATCH | Video shows dramatic moment out-of-control car crashes through wall of house in Roscommon
'Heartbreaking' | Elderly couple forced to wait two hours for ambulance lying ‘in middle of the road’
EXCLUSIVE | Hotelier tried to buy off paedo son’s victim with €50k after exiting bankruptcy
YOU'RE LICKED | Giant ice-cream cone stolen from Donegal business returned
Alleged abuse | Brothers face intimidation charges over sickening incident at young mum’s door
Ky-spiracy | Kylie Minogue accused of being ‘Illuminati puppet’ for using ‘Satanic’ symbols
Heal-ers | Una Healy thanks hospital staff for taking care of daughter Aoife after injury
sinister | Inside problem flats where heroin kingpin fell to death and needles and crack pipes lie abandoned