Dessie Dolan received a 12-week suspension yesterday despite pointing out to the Comhairle Ardoideachais, the governing body for Higher Education GAA, that DCU were at fault for allowing his involvement in the November 30th fixture against Sligo IT.

However, Dolan's argument at Wednesday evening's hearing in Croke Park that it was DCU's mistake did not fall on deaf ears as the same suspensions were handed down to DCU football chairman John O'Reilly and secretary Alan Joyce.

Like Ross Munnelly, Shane Ryan and Diarmuid Kinsella last week, the Westmeath forward was deemed ineligible to line out for DCU as, under bylaw 30 (b) of the council's constitution, he was not a full-time student.

Dolan teaches at Moate Community School but, along with Munnelly and Ryan, is enrolled in a two-year masters degree in education that requires his presence at the university on Wednesday evenings and Saturday.

Like the other three, Dolan will appeal the suspension, which also applies to intercounty level, with the Central Appeals Committee (CAC).

A DCU spokesman confirmed both O'Reilly and Joyce would also appeal their suspensions to the CAC. Their bans seem to indicate that DCU will not be expelled from the league competition having qualified to face UCC in the final.

Dublin captain Paddy Christie did not take part in the Division One semi-final against Sligo IT leaving him the only new intercounty recruit for the Sigerson Cup next month. That is presuming he is eligible to play.

Paddy Collins, the Westmeath County Board secretary and team selector, said yesterday: "Dessie will seek a personal appeal and we hope the CAC will hear this as quickly as possible as the clock has already started ticking since November 30th.

"We would be confident that he can get off in the appeal. He is extremely disappointed with the outcome but it was a fair hearing by the committee.

"Now they have suspended three high-profile intercounty players for playing football on a cold winter's night. I'm sure the Higher Education body are competent enough to sort out their own problems. The bylaws need to be looked at very carefully by universities in the future but my concern is Dessie Dolan and Westmeath."

Westmeath play Carlow in the O'Byrne Cup on January 8th with the winners coincidentally meeting DCU, if they overcome Meath. Collins said that Dolan, if successful on appeal, would line out for his county and not the third-level institution in this competition.

John Devaney, a Longford native and member of the Down County Board, chaired the Higher Education hearing. Donal McAnallen (a brother of Cormac) also sat on the committee.