Portumna hit harder than Loughrea

Loughrea - the new Galway hurling champions - have declared themselves "very happy" with the Galway GAC investigation into last month's controversial county final.

Having sensationally defeated the defending All-Ireland club champions Portumna in a match featuring a number of ugly incidents - including one in which the county's most celebrated young player Joe Canning was the alleged victim of a stamping incident - Loughrea have picked up just one suspension, a four-week ban on Johnny Dooley, as well as a fine and a couple of warnings as to future conduct for panellists Nigel Shaughnessy and Eddie McMahon.

Portumna, on the other hand, have seen Canning's brother Davy suspended for 12 weeks for striking with the hurl, two of the team mentors Seán Treacy and Jimmy Heverin given eight weeks for discrediting the association through comments made to the media and have also picked up a fine.

Speaking last night, Loughrea manager Pat O'Connor told The Irish Times that he felt vindicated by the findings. "Absolutely. I thought the whole thing was totally blown out of proportion. It was a hard match with four yellow cards, no red cards and no blood subs. Three of our players were injured ahead of the Connacht final. We feel very hard done by the publicity that followed the match, which completely tarnished our victory and we'll be hoping for a more balanced approach in the media from now on."

In the aftermath, Portumna alleged both the deliberate targeting of Joe Canning and the failure of referee Michael Conway - whose appointment the club had criticised before the match - and both Treacy and Heverin spoke out angrily on local radio station Galway Bay FM and in other media.

"We have kept our silence on this," said O'Connor, "apart from speaking out against the accusation that we targeted Joe Canning. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There was no stamping and no stitches. Yet, we were called butchers."

After the county final Treacy initially threatened to step down from his position as one of the county's management team, but he was persuaded to withdraw the threat and re-affirm his commitment as one of new manager Ger Loughnane's selectors.

The disciplinary hearing, held on Wednesday night, is believed to have studied video evidence of the incident in which Joe Canning was injured and the couple of minutes surrounding it, but not to have considered the match any further.

It was not considered possible to pursue the matter any further on the basis of the video, although the player suspensions both arose out of incidents that took place during the disorder that took place while Canning was on the ground. Portumna have no upcoming fixtures, but Dooley will miss Loughrea's Connacht club final against Athleague later this month.

The fines were imposed following incursions on to the pitch and the inclusion by Loughrea of McMahon, a suspended player, in the official team photograph.

Meanwhile, also in Galway last night, county football manager Peter Ford was ratified for a third year, this time with new selectors - Pete Warren, who also served with John O'Mahony in the two All-Ireland victories of 1998 and 2001, and Eoin O'Donnellan, manager of Salthill-Knocknacarra when the club won last season's All-Ireland title.

O'Donovan Rossa camogie club are petitioning for support against the decision to fix their All-Ireland club final against St Lachtain's of Kilkenny in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, a venue they point out is 159 miles from Belfast. "O'Moore Park is, we believe, less than 25 miles from our opponents' home ground. Once again, Rossa must make a journey that means we have never enjoyed home advantage, but also we have to find £4,000/£5,000 to pay for our participation in the final."

2007 O'Byrne Cup (Leinster SF): First round (Jan 7th) - Longford v Third-level qualifier, Offaly v TLQ, Laois v Kildare, Louth v Meath, Wicklow v Carlow, Kilkenny v Wexford, Westmeath v TLQ, Dublin v TLQ; Quarter-finals (Jan 14th) - Longford/TLQ v Offaly/TLQ, Laois/Kildare v Louth /Meath, Wicklow/Carlow v Kilkenny/Wexford, Westmeath/TLQ v Dublin/TLQ; Semi-finals (Jan 21st) - Longford/TLQ/Offaly/TLQ v Laois/Kildare /Louth/Meath, Wicklow/Carlow/Kilkenny/ Wexford v Westmeath/TLQ/ Dublin/TLQ. Final (Jan 28th).

2007 Walsh Cup (Leinster SH): Preliminary round (Jan 21st) - Laois v Down; Quarter-finals (Jan 28th) - Laois/Down v Dublin, Wexford v Antrim, Westmeath v Offaly, Kilkenny v UCD; Semi-finals (Feb 4th) - Laois/Down/Dublin v Wexford/Antrim, Westmeath/Offaly, Kilkenny/ UCD. Final (Feb 10th).