McCaffrey decision is upheld

DRA Eligibility ruling: The Disputes Resolution Authority has upheld the decision made by the Higher Education Committee (HEC), which deemed former Dublin minor John McCaffrey ineligible to play for UCD.

Last year's minor hurling captain, and minor footballer, began studying for a sports management diploma at the university in September, a course that is considered by the HEC constitution to be part-time.

This decision should influence tomorrow night's central appeals committee (CAC) hearings of DCU quartet Shane Ryan, Dessie Dolan, Ross Munnelly and Diarmuid Kinsella, who were all suspended for 12 weeks for lining out against Sligo IT in November, despite being part-time students. The CAC already dismissed an appeal from UCD and McCaffrey.