Banned McGinley to miss Donegal’s semi-final

DONEGAL defender Noel McGinley has been sensationally denied his chance of playing in the All-Ireland semi-final after receiving a three-month ban by the County Disciplinary Committee.

McGinley, struggled with injury for over a month but was back to full-fitness for the quarter-final replay against Galway on Sunday last.

He was asked by county manager, Brian McEniff, to play half a game for his club, Naomh Columba, on Saturday night last to improve his fitness but received his marching orders from referee, Liam Browne, during that game.

Devastated by the straight red, McGinley travelled to Sunday’s game in Castlebar as a spectator, and his misery was complete when the referee’s report was reviewed on Thursday night, resulting in the ban.

Kerry Gaelic football legend Pat Spillane is Colm Keane’s first guest in a new series, Gaelic Football’s Top 20, beginning on Thursday September 4, on RTÉ Radio 1.

The series features some of the legends of the game, including Kerry’s Mick O’Connell and Eoin Liston, Meath’s Colm O’Rourke, Galway’s Enda Colleran and Cork’s Larry Tompkins. The great Seán O’Neill recalls Down’s glory years in the 1960s, while Jimmy Keaveney remembers Dublin’s great battles with Kerry in the 1970s.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday’s hurling semi-finals are on sale today (Friday) from 11am to 2.30pm from outlets outside the barriers.

There are 2,500 parking spaces available in Clonliffe College (entrance from Drumcondra Road) and a further 2,000 spaces in the School for the Blind, Grace Park Road.