ALAN BROGAN BELIEVES Diarmuid Connolly’s likely appeal process will have a negative affect on the Dublin camp as they bid to win a third All-Ireland title in-a-row.
Connolly was hit with a proposed 12-week ban by the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee yesterday after his brush with linesman Ciarán Branagan in Portlaoise on Saturday night.
The ban would rule him out until a potential All-Ireland semi-final if it’s upheld, but Connolly is expected to launch an appeal to have the suspension reduced.
“Obviously (it’s) disappointing to wake up this morning and hear he’s facing into a 12-week ban,” said Brogan.
“It’s definitely not ideal and it’s hard for something like that not to affect the group when that’s going on in the background.
“Diarmuid has been involved in that before so he probably knows better than anyone how that process takes its course. It’s not ideal and it is a regrettable incident Dublin could certainly do without.”
He continued: “It’s important for Diarmuid to realise that everything he’s doing now is being scrutinised to the nth degree more so than any other footballer in the country.
“He’s old enough and wise enough to know you just shouldn’t get involved in incidents like that.”
There have been several high-profile suspension cases for the GAA so far in 2017, with Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald, Antrim forward Matthew Fitzpatrick, Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney and Tipperary goalkeeper Evan Comerford all in the headlines in recent times.
Brogan accepts a 12-week ban is keeping in line with other recent cases, but says there was “no malice” in Connolly’s actions.
“If you take the instance on its own, I think it’s a harsh suspension but the letter of the law is the letter of the law.
“Judging by what’s happened with Kieran McGeeney and Evan Comerford down in Tipperary over the last number of weeks, they probably had to give him a 12-week suspension.
“But I wouldn’t say it’s the last we’ll hear about it. It was a silly incident but I don’t think there was a huge amount of malice in what Diarmuid did.
“To miss three games is a pretty severe suspension.”
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