Galvin accepts he deserved ban and waits on return

NEWS ROUND-UP:THE BUILD-UP to Sunday's Munster football final between Kerry and Limerick will no doubt be partly focused on the absence of Paul Galvin, and how Kerry should still cope without him, although the player isn't looking for any sympathy.

Banned for eight weeks after an incident with Cork’s Eoin Cadogan in the Munster semi-final replay, during which he appeared to “fish-hook” the Cork player, Galvin has spoken for the first time about his decision not to appeal the suspension, admitting in the process that essentially he got what he deserved.

“It wasn’t a hard decision, not to appeal, really,” said Galvin, in an interview recorded for this morning’s Ireland AM on TV3.

“Look, at the end of the day what I did you couldn’t condone. I was wrong to do what I did so I felt it best to take it on the chin.”

Asked if he thought there were other incidents in the game which weren’t pursued by the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee, Galvin said: “There probably was a lack of balance in the way everything was portrayed, but no, that’s not an issue for me really. I can only be responsible for myself, I was wrong to do what I did.”

Yet Galvin was also adamant that in no way did the incident or outcome force him to consider his role with Kerry for the rest of the season, although missing the Munster final would be difficult.

“No, not a chance, not like that,” he said.

“Yeah, it will be difficult to miss Sunday, that’s the hard part, but you know if you do the crime you’ve got to do the time, I suppose.

“I just hope the boys beat Limerick because it’s a big challenge for us. You know, this Limerick side is a good side, they were very unlucky not to beat Cork last year in the Munster final, so they will be coming to Killarney with all guns blazing.”

Meanwhile, Cavan’s Paul Brady and Antrim’s Aisling Reilly will return home from Texas with their Men’s Open and Ladies Open US national handball titles this morning.

Brady collected his sixth consecutive Men’s Open crown, defeating top American David Chapman in the final.

And Reilly beat Texan Jennifer Schmitt to collect her first title.