Bellew faces one-month ban after referee error
Mickey Hughes showed a yellow card before a red to Bellew after a clash with Oak Leaf forward Eoin Bradley.
However, the official has admitted that he should have given the player a straight red for striking.
Armagh accept it was a genuine mistake and Bellew is set to miss three games. The tough-tackling defender is likely to be banned for the NFL encounters against Down, Laois and Wexford. Orchard county secretary Paddy Nugent said Bellew will “take his punishment”.
Following the game, Armagh manager Joe Kernan was highly critical of the abuse he and his fellow mentors received at the hands of some Derry supporters.
“The torrent of verbal abuse we were subjected to was absolutely disgraceful and plays no part in our game,” he said.
Jason O’Brien, who made an immediate impact when introduced as second-half substitute for the injured Johnny Murphy in Limerick’s Division 2 A NFL win over Clare last Sunday, is rewarded with a place in the starting lineup for this week-end’s 11am showdown with London, at the Gaelic Grounds.
O’Brien, from county champions Monaleen, scored 1-1 within minutes of his introduction against the Banner. Murphy will be out with a dislocated shoulder injury for at least four weeks. Former Kerry player Michael Crowley moves to Murphy’s position at full-forward to accommodate O’Brien in the corner.
Also starting on Sunday is Andrew Lane, who came in for the injured Timmy Carroll. Regular centre-back Damien Reidy, who moved to centre-forward after Carroll’s injury, now retains that position, with Lane filling in for him in defence.
The good news for Limerick is that Eoin Keating, out injured for eight months, is to resume training, while captain Muiris Gavin could be available for the upcoming clash with Donegal. Stephen Kelly has pencilled in the championship meeting with Clare for his return.
Limerick, relegated last season, are unbeaten in the current campaign and hopeful of a quick return to the top flight.
Dublin make two changes to their team for the trip to Enniskillen to play Fermanagh in this Sunday’s NFL Division 1A clash with Fermanagh.
Alan Brogan and Ciaran Whelan come into the team replacing Denis Bastick and Shane Ryan. Bastick is suspended for this game having been double yellow carded twice in the current league and therefore must serve a two-week ban.
Jason Sherlock and Niall O’Shea were not considered for a starting berth or places on the bench owing to injury. Sherlock was originally selected to start last Saturday night against Cork but was forced out due to a leg injury and was replaced by Bryan Cullen.
Cork, hit by a number of injury problems ahead of their crucial clash with Mayo at Castlebar on Sunday, are now unlikely to name their team prior to the start of the match.
Likewise, Kerry will not reveal their team to play Offaly under lights at Austin Stack Park, Tralee on Saturday night until just before the throw-in.
Meanwhile, Sligo County Board has ratified Tommy Breheny as manager of the county senior and U21 teams until the end of the season.
The St Mary’s club man who took over as caretaker boss after Fermanagh native Dom Corrigan was sacked last month was a member of the Sligo county side from 1986 to 1997.
He won four Sligo senior football championships with St Mary’s and later won senior and U21 titles with the club as manager. Breheny’s brother Mark is a key member of the Sligo attack.
Former All-Star Eamon O’Hara, who had been out of action through injury for a considerable time, is back in full training with the team and could make an appearance in Sligo’s last two league outings against Antrim and Wicklow.
DUBLIN (SF v Fermanagh) S. Cluxton; P. Griffin, B. Cahill, D. Henry; P. Casey, C. Goggins, P. Andrews; D. Magee, C. Whelan; D. Lally, A. Brogan, B. Cullen; D. O’Callaghan, C. Keaney, T. Quinn.
NEWTOWNSHANDRUM (SH v Portumna): P. Morrissey; J. McCarthy, B. Mulcahy (c), D. Gleeson; AT O’Brien, P. Mulcahy, P. Noonan; M. Farrell, Jerry O’Connor; JP King, D. Mulcahy (subject to fitness test), C. Naughton; John O’Connor, J. Bowles, B. O’Connor.
LIMERICK (SF v London): S. Kiely; J. Gallagher, J. McCarthy, P. Browne, A. Lane, C. Mullane, S. Lavin; J. Galvin, J. Stokes; S. Buckley, D. Reidy, P. Ahern, J. O’Brien, M. Crowley, M. Reidy.
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