GAA:A STATEMENT released by Kerry County Board and team management announced last evening that the option of taking a case to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) "may yet be considered" after county captain Paul Galvin's appeal was turned down by the GAA's Central Appeals Committee (CAC).

Galvin had appealed his 24-week suspension to the CAC on Thursday night but was unsuccessful, as was Monaghan's Paul Finlay, also suspended for abuse of match officials but for eight weeks.

The statement expressed "disappointment" that the appeal "in relation to his excessive suspension was turned down" and went on that it was "now the wish of Paul Galvin that the county's full focus will be on the Munster minor and senior football finals on Sunday 6th July in Cork."

The GAA has also clarified that Down manager Ross Carr had his suspension for criticising a match referee unconditionally lifted by the DRA although the decision on the authority's website up to yesterday related to an interim hearing.