CLUB SHC: Toomevara have appealed the two-month suspension handed to corner back Paul McGrath which is set to rule him out of Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final against Ballyhale Shamrocks.
McGrath was sent off in a challenge match against University of Limerick last Saturday week and received an eight-week ban from the Munster Council.
Toomevara officials have lodged an official appeal to the provincial body, which will be heard later this week.
However, as things stand, McGrath will miss out and is also scheduled to miss the March 17th final at Croke Park, should Toomevara get past the Kilkenny kingpins.
McGrath was issued with a straight red card for a challenge on rising young Limerick star Séamus Hickey, but Toomevara believe they have genuine grounds for an appeal, as they insist the challenge game was not officially registered with the Limerick County Board.
Independently-appointed match referee Richard Moloney from Bruff submitted his report directly to the Munster Council following the game, which UL won convincingly.
"We're appealing on the grounds that many players have been sent off in challenge matches and never been suspended," said Toomevara chairman Jackie Meagher.
"The GAA like to recognise some things, but not others. For example, if Paul McGrath had got injured in the game, the GAA would not recognise his injury claim because they would claim that it was an unofficial game and that no authorisation had been given to play it.
"There was no official referee appointed by an official body and his match report was submitted on unofficial paper.
"Also, Waterford's John Mullane was sent off in a tournament game last year and never suspended and Tyrone footballer Stephen O'Neill was allowed to play in the All Stars football game in Dubai, despite the fact that he was under suspension and the All Star game is a 100 per cent recognised match on the official GAA fixture list."
Toome team manager Pat Herbert had planned to announce his starting line-up after training tonight, but he is now expected to wait until the result of McGrath's appeal is known.
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mayo may have to travel to Donegal for Sunday's NFL clash with Donegal without Ronan McGarrity, who is due to play basketball in Dublin on Saturday night.
McGarrity sat out last Sunday's opening win over Kerry with a heel injury and is scheduled to play for Team Merry Monk against St Vincent's at the weekend.
Manager John O'Mahony is likely to talk to McGarrity in advance of the team announcement for the Donegal clash and it could be that the Ballina man would travel the 160 miles to Donegal late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning.
O'Mahony will definitely not have Ciarán McDonald, however, as the Crossmolina man is just back in light training after sustaining a disc injury.
NATIONAL LEAGUE: The Division One first round tie between Fermanagh and Limerick - called off at the weekend due to fog - has been refixed for Sunday week at Clones.
DISCIPLINE:The chairman of Kerry County Board has claimed that the new "zero tolerance" approach by referees will result in little free-flowing football during the National Football League.
Seán Walsh made his comments after 15 players received yellow cards in the clash between Mayo and Kerry in McHale Park on Sunday.
"I don't want to criticise the referee Maurice Deegan, who we think is a very good referee and one we like playing under. But what's happening is that when they are issuing the yellow cards, there is too much stop-and-go in the game. There's no continuity," said Walsh. "It is stopping the game completely, and that was never the intention."
