Connacht second row Michael McCarthy has been suspended for three weeks after pleading guilty to headbutting flanker Rocky Elsom during the Magners League win over Leinster last weekend.
Elsom has escaped punishment despite retaliating to the incident.
McCarthy, however, has escaped an additional punishment for the red card he received after the IRFU Disciplinary Committee ruled the first yellow card shown to him to have been "awarded incorrectly".
McCarthy's suspension will end on October 26th, meaning the only tryscorer in the 19-18 win will miss Friday's European Challenge Cup encounter in Dax, the visit of London Irish the following week and the home game against Edinburgh in the Magners League on the 24th.
