Ó Sé loses appeal against four-week ban

GAA: MARC Ó Sé last night lost his appeal against his four-week ban.

The Kerry defender had refused to accept the punishment proposed by the CCCC arising from his clash with Dublins Eoghan OGara at the end of their league tie at Croke Park last Saturday week.

However, it’s understood that, following a formal appeal, Ó Sé and Kerry have been informed that the ban stands and that the Kingdom star is suspended for four weeks from the date of his last game.

The news rules the former All Star out of this weekend’s league clash with Galway and the March 20th match against Armagh.

Meanwhile, Waterford’s All Star defender Noel Connors is deferring a potential ankle operation to see out the hurling season without further interruption.

Connors missed Waterford’s defeat to All-Ireland hurling champions Tipperary last weekend, but expects to return for Sunday’s crunch meeting with Cork in Dungarvan.

Sunday’s fourth round of matches marks the midway point in the league, and with Waterford and Cork similarly positioned mid-table in Division One, a victory would likely decide who gets to stay in the hunt for a final berth.

Connors has been troubled with the ankle injury on and off for the past two years, and when it flared up again at training last week he was forced to sit out the Tipperary game. But given what’s at stake on Sunday – and the enduring Waterford-Cork rivalry – it’s understandable why he’s so eager to return.

“I went over on the ankle again and did a bit of damage,” says Connors. “The problem is two ligaments, on the top side of my ankle. I got a bit of treatment on it since and it is coming along well.

“Ligaments are never going to heal properly unless you get an operation on them. If you get the operation you are going to be out for a while.

“Hurling is part and parcel of my life now and I don’t want to be getting operations at a young age. I can get it done in a few years if I want. But, for now, I just make sure I look after myself and get it strapped. Just strengthening it up now is the main thing.”

Connors was speaking in Dungarvan yesterday ahead of Sunday’s game, and pointed to a few positives out of last Saturday’s five-point defeat.

“Considering we were down to 13 men, and playing up in Thurles, only getting beaten by five points and drawing the second half, you have to look at the pros and cons.

“When you look at their team they have so much experience compared to us, with a lot of young fellas out that are only starting to come through the ranks.”

Sunday’s game is a repeat of last year’s Munster final, which Waterford won after a replay. Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald is due to name his team after training this evening.

WICKLOW(NFL v Longford) : J Flynn; P Higgins, S Kelly, C Hyland; P Dalton, B McGrath, D Hayden; R Finn, J Stafford; T Hannon, A O'Malley, JP Dalton; P Earls, S Furlong, L Glynn.

CAVAN(NFL v Limerick): J Reilly; A Clarke, D Sheridan, S Jordan; M McKeever, J McCutcheon, M Cahill; R Cullivan, P OReilly; R Flanagan, K Fannin, G Smith; C Mackey, M Brennan, S Johnston.