Dublin footballer Diarmuid Connolly has decided not to appeal his 12-week suspension. The decision to accept the punishment handed down by the GAA's Central Hearings Committee in the early hours of Monday morning means that the All Star forward will not be eligible for the county until the weekend of the second All-Ireland semi-final, which Dublin are favourites to contest.
In a statement released on Thursday evening the Dublin county board said that the matter wouldn’t be taken to the Central Appeals Committee.
Dublin had challenged the manner in which Connolly’s push on linesman Ciarán Branagan was mentioned in the report of referee Seán Hurson but not acted on when it happened. The CHC deferred to the primacy of the referee’s report and imposed the minimum suspension of 12 weeks under Rule 7.2 (b), category (V) (i) ‘Minor interference with a linesman’.
This decision established that the infraction had taken place and Dublin have decided not to pursue the procedural argument any farther.
Accepting the punishment means that Jim Gavin and his team are free to concentrate without further disruption on the upcoming provincial semi-final against Westmeath or Offaly on June 25th.
