Derry clubs appeal heavy sanctions after ugly final scenes

DERRY clubs Slaughtneil and Ballinderry last night appealed the heavy bans they incurred following the controversial end to Sunday week’s county football decider.

Representatives from both clubs appeared before a meeting of the Central Hearings Committee of the Derry County Board, yet no decision was released.

The Derry County Board last week hammered both clubs with record bans for a club game in the county.

Slaughtneil were particularly hard-hit with four players — Frances and Fergal McEldowney, Michael McEldowney and Michael Rogers — all handed 48-week bans, while club members Raymond McCluskey and Danny McMullan were banned for 96 weeks.

Slaughtneil were also dramatically banned from adult activity at senior, reserve and U21 level for six months, ordered to play all of their adult games next year at away venues and fined £5000 (6,345).

Ballinderry escaped with less punishment last week, with the only sanction imposed against them being team management member Paul Devlin being banned for two years. Yet officials from the Ballinderry club have been called before a separate Derry county board meeting tonight in connection with incidents that arose from the game.

It is believed that Ballinderry players and officials are set to be handed lengthy bans at this meeting and the club is also likely to receive a fine similar to that imposed on Slaughtneil.

Derry County Board secretary Danny Scullion confirmed yesterday that if the two clubs are unsuccessful with their appeals at the Central Hearings Committee meeting, they can then take their appeals to the Ulster Council and Central Council levels.

Any suspension imposed on former All-Ireland club champions Ballinderry would have a serious effect on their Ulster Club SFC ambitions this season.

They are set to face Monaghan champions Latton in the provincial quarter-final on November 2.