Judge throws Leinster final lifeline to O'Connell

RORY O'CONNELL has been handed a dramatic lifeline back into Sunday's Leinster final against Laois.

O'Connell was sent off for an alleged stamping incident in Westmeath's Leinster championship opener against Offaly in mid-May and was handed a 12 week suspension.

However, at the High Court in Dublin yesterday, Judge Sean O'Leary ruled that the GAA ban was ineffective because written evidence wasn't considered.