Tyrone’s All-Star midfielder Mattie Donnelly faces the prospect of being handed a two-game suspension following an altercation with Derry’s Chrissy McKaigue yesterday.
Red Hands star Donnelly could be in hot water if the GAA’s disciplinary chiefs decide to review the incident from yesterday’s Ulster SFC quarter-final at Celtic Park.
Tyrone won 0-22 to 0-11 to tee up a June 19 semi-final with Donegal – but may have to go into that clash without the Trillick man, should a probe be launched by the top brass.
McKaigue halted the run of Donnelly before the Tyrone man raised his right hand and McKaigue subsequently went to ground.
Referee Maurice Deegan appeared to miss the incident, meaning that the CCCC could take retrospective action against Donnelly, who has already been in hot water this year.
Donnelly was sent off for an off-the-ball strike on Cavan’s Seanie Johnston in a McKenna Cup match earlier in the year and sat out Tyrone’s Allianz League game against Kerry after he was penalised for striking Aidan O’Shea after the final whistle in their game against Mayo.
BBC pundit and former Armagh footballer Oisin McConville was in no doubt about what happened at Celtic Park.
“It’s clear Mattie Donnelly strikes Chrissy McKaigue,” said McConville.
“If that’s the case, it’s a sending-off. It wasn’t dealt with on the day so they are able to have another look at it.”
Recently, Dublin footballer Philly McMahon was retrospectively charged for ‘using abusive language’ towards the referee and was given a one-game ban.
Tipperary hurler Jason Forde was also retrospectively punished for his involvement in a clash with the Wexford manager, Davy Fitzgerald. Forde had an initial two-game ban cut in half by the Central Hearings Committee, but then mounted an unsuccessful challenge against that ban to the Central Appeals Committee.
Last year, Donegal full-back Neil McGee served a two-match ban after he was sent off in their quarter-final win over Fermanagh.
McGee had been retrospectively suspended in the 2016 League when he was charged with ‘behaving in a way which is dangerous to an opponent’ in the League game against Kerry.
The Gaoth Dobhair man had to sit out Donegal’s drawn semi-final and subsequent replay win over Monaghan last summer, but returned for the Ulster final against Tyrone.