DUBLIN SAW ONE of their key men shown a red card in yesterday’s O’Byrne Cup final but don’t have to worry about him missing part of the 2015 season through suspension.
Michael Darragh MacAuley was sent-off near the end of normal-time against Kildare in Newbridge yesterday but he won’t have to serve any potential suspension until 2016.
The GAA’s new match ban system, which was introduced at all levels at last year’s Congress, means MacAuley won’t be banned until Dublin’s next game in the O’Byrne Cup.
The official rules state:
- The Match Suspension applies to the next game(s) in the same Competition in which the Infraction/Repeat Infraction occurs e.g. a player ordered off in a Championship game misses the next game(s) in that Championship; a player ordered off in a League game misses the next game(s) in that League.
- Match Suspensions may extend to the following year’s Competition (i.e. not confined to calendar year).
The news will be a relief to Dublin fans that the 2013 Footballer of the Year will be available. Their Allianz football league campaign begins next Sunday with a trip to Cork before Dublin are at home to Donegal the following Saturday night.
MacAuley was dismissed after what seemed to be a push on Kildare’s Gary White off the ball. Dublin boss Jim Gavin was unaware exactly what offence had been committed.
“I didn’t get to speak to any of the officials afterwards so I don’t know exactly what he was sent off for so the administration process will start this evening.
“I didn’t even speak to him now. We were busy trying to reset the guys at the end of normal time so I didn’t get to speak to Michael. But we’ll get a chance, our county board secretary will have that information I’m sure later on.”
- Originally published Sunday 23.30
