Four players facing sanctions over shocking scenes in Armagh and Galway clash

Three Armagh squad members, including Tiernan Kelly, who is at centre of accusations that he gouged Damien Comer, are understood to have been identified by the committee and charged. A Galway squad member is also facing a charge.

The duration of the bans are not but Kelly is facing the lengthiest ban.

Both county boards are also facing heavy fines for their players’ involvement. In the past those have amounted to between €4,000 and €5,000 but the financial penalties for Sunday’s melee are expected to be at least double that.

Kelly, who was not part of the official squad on Sunday, and the other three players will have an opportunity to seek hearings to overturn the charges in the coming days.

Two other players are facing proposed suspensions arising out of the melee, which erupted at the end of normal time as both sides left the field in Croke Park ahead of two further 10-minute periods of extra-time.

Galway and Armagh have also been notified of proposed one-match bans for Sean Kelly and Aidan Nugent, the respective captain and joint-captain who were sent off for contributing to the melee. Greg McCabe has also been notified of a proposed ban for his red card, a high challenge that was deemed dangerous play.

While the onus is on the counties and the players themselves to provide evidence that they didn’t do as reported, it appears that Kelly and Nugent have a strong chance that their proposed suspensions will be overturned.

Galway are challenging Kelly’s suspension and he could have his hearing this weekend.