Derry manager Eamonn Coleman will have to sit out his team's championship matches this summer until and unless they reach the All-Ireland semifinals. Coleman received a three-match sideline ban from the GAA's Games Administration Committee for incidents arising from his intrusion onto the pitch during the Ulster semi-final against Derry two weeks ago.

"The initial reaction is disappointment," said Derry PRO Gerry Donnelly who accompanied Coleman to the GAC hearing on Wednesday night. "I would consider that a bit on the severe side. The hearing was very frank and open and after the discussion we had hoped that Eamonn would come out with a bit less than that. This leaves him unavailable until the All-Ireland semi-finals, which is a tall order."

The ban was imposed under championship match regulations and means that the Derry manager will be required to sit at a distance from the dugout rather than in the first row of the stand as Ger Loughnane and Gerald McCarthy did when suspended from the Clare and Waterford sidelines respectively in 1998.

Coleman was reported by referee Paddy Russell under championship match regulation eight, prohibiting a manager from engaging "in any behaviour which interferes with the control of a game by a match official".

Coleman took to the field after Derry's Fergal Crossan was left lying on the ground in a state which required his substitution. According to Donnelly, Crossan had sustained a "damaged eye and slight concussion". Tyrone's Pascal Canavan was shown a yellow card after the incident.

After remonstrating with the umpires, Coleman also had words with Tyrone's Brian Dooher as he left the field. Derry will have to win the third and fourth qualifier rounds plus an All-Ireland quarter-final before their manager can return to the sideline.

Meanwhile, Wicklow county secretary Patrick Fortune has said he is "delighted" that Aughrim has been passed fit to hold a further 1,500 spectators for tomorrow's All-Ireland qualifier against Galway. This brings the capacity up to 6,500. "There are 40 clubs in Wicklow," he said, "and the novelty of the fixture has really attracted a lot of interest. So far it's been murder but this means we can look after some more of our hardcore supporters, the people who support us all year around."

The decision was made after an inspection by the county council Fire Officer, Safety Officer and a Chief Superintendent. The original fixed capacity of 5,000 was less than half what the ground has previously held in its current state of development. The extended permission was granted following certain adjustments to the capacity of the ground.

The additional 1,500 tickets have been issued to the Wicklow county board, recognition of the high levels of demand within the county for what is the biggest championship draw Wicklow have had at home since Laois travelled to the venue as newly crowned National League holders 15 years ago. The match became infamous as `The Battle of Aughrim' with four players sent off and Laois out of the championship.

Galway have received an allocation of 1,800 tickets for what will be one of the more unusual championship fixtures the county's supporters have had to attend.

Meanwhile Paddy Reynolds of Meath has requested a personal hearing in respect of his red-card dismissal during the Meath-Kildare match last weekend. Reynolds was sent off after striking Ken Doyle and given that he was dismissed for a similar offence during this year's NFL, it has been speculated that he is in line for an eight-week suspension.

It was confirmed that Ken Doyle of Kildare, James McElroy of Monaghan and John McBride of Derry were all suspended for the duration of their respective championship matches last weekend after being shown two yellow cards.

John Bannon of Longford is replacing Michael Monahan of Kildare as the referee in the AllIreland second-round qualifier between Monaghan and Armagh in Clones tomorrow. Monahan will be in Belgium for the European GAA League matches. Bannon will be familiar to Armagh as he refereed last year's drawn All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.

The fifth round of the European League takes place in Brussels tomorrow. It will be staged on the cricket pitch at the British School in the city. In addition to Michael Monahan, Gerry Kinneavy (Roscommon) is travelling from Ireland to officiate. Brussels, Guernsey, Paris, The Hague, Munich and Luxemburg will contest the men's competition; Brussels, Paris and Luxemburg the women's.