ALAN McCRABBE is contesting the automatic one-match suspension received following his sending off in Dublin’s Division One A relegation play-off draw with Galway last Sunday.
As it stands, Dublin’s All-Star midfielder will miss Saturday’s replay in Portlaoise, unless the video evidence he intends to submit convinces the Central Hearings Committee to rescind the red card. The committee will convene tomorrow.
McCrabbe came in for Michael Carton on 56 minutes only to be put off 10 minutes into extra-time for striking.
The same punishment, for a similar offence, befell centre forward Ryan O’Dwyer in the opening seconds of extra-time. O’Dwyer, however, will not seek a hearing for his two-game ban – doubled as he was sent-off for the second time in 48 weeks.
His last dismissal also came against Galway, in last June’s Leinster championship victory. There is no video evidence of the O’Dwyer incident, so referee Barry Kelly’s report would be the most compelling evidence.
That means the O’Dwyer will have no involvement in Portlaoise or in Tullamore for the opening championship outing, against either Laois or Carlow, on June 2nd.
He will be available for the Leinster semi-final against Kilkenny on June 23rd.
Galway manager Anthony Cunninghamis expected to name Joe Canning and Cyril Donnellan in the starting line-up for the replay (throw-in 4pm and live on TG4). Neither man was named in the initial team but both started,.
