Gaelic Games

Armagh trio to miss Ulster semi-final after one-match bans upheld by CHC

Brendan Donaghy, Kieran Toner and Andy Mallon to miss Monaghan game

The brawl ahead of the Ulster SFC game between Armagh and Cavan has led to one-match suspensions for five players involved, three from Armagh and two from Cavan. Both counties have also been fined €5,000. Photograph: William Cherry/Inpho/Presseye
The brawl ahead of the Ulster SFC game between Armagh and Cavan has led to one-match suspensions for five players involved, three from Armagh and two from Cavan. Both counties have also been fined €5,000. Photograph: William Cherry/Inpho/Presseye
Sat Jun 21 2014 - 15:44

Brendan Donaghy, Kieran Toner and Andy Mallon will all miss Armagh's Ulster SFC semi-final clash against Monaghan after the one-match bans arising out of the pre-match brawl ahead of the game against Cavan were upheld by GAA's the Central Hearings Committee (CHC).

The Cavan duo Martin Dunne and Fergal Flanagan were also banned for one match and did not contest their suspensions. Both counties were also fined €5,00 for the melee at the Athletic Grounds on June 8th.

Armagh had also appealed the fine, but Friday night’s meeting of the CHC at Croke Park upheld the charge of “disruptive conduct at games by players, not causing the premature termination of a game”.

Donaghy and Mallon were both charged “with striking with hand and behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent” while Toner was charged with “attempting to strike with hand”.

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In the case of Donaghy and Mallon, CHC found that the infractions were proven and a one-match ban was imposed for each, to run concurrently, while Toner was handed a one-match ban.

Armagh take on defending Ulster football champions Monaghan next Saturday night in Clones for a place in the final, while Cavan are in action on the same evening when they host Westmeath in Round 1B of the qualifiers.