Leinster club football champions Moorefield will have to do without two key players and will lose home advantage for their forthcoming provincial semi-final clash against Tyrrellspass.
At its meeting last night the Leinster Council Hearings Committee banned Moorefield backs Kevin Murnaghan and James Lonergan for one month for their part in an on-pitch melee during the recent game against Dromard in Newbridge. The game ended in a 0-13 to 0-7 defeat for Dromard.
The Committee has also asked Moorefield to identify a substitute who appeared to contribute to the brawl.
In addition, the Committee ruled that Moorefield, the reigning Kildare and Leinster champions, must play all their remaining games in the Leinster senior football championship away from home.
This means that next Sunday's AIB Leinster Club SFC semi-final will be played in Mullingar and,if Moorefield qualify for the final against St Vincents, the game will be played in Parnell Park.
The brawl, which took place during Moorefield's provincial quarter-final replay against Dromard started with a relatively minor incident that saw three players booked by All-Ireland referee David Coldrick. However, things rapidly spiralled out of control soon afterwards when an off-the-ball incident resulted in a widespread punch-up, which soon drew in the team substitutes and other match officials.
A number of sanctions have also been proposed against Dromard but these have yet to be considered by the Committee.
