McEnaney slams ‘ridiculous’ board fine

MONAGHAN GAA chiefs will today decide whether to appeal the eight-week ban handed down to attacker Tommy Freeman arising out of last week’s controversial Ulster SFC clash against Derry.

The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee has recommended eight-week bans for Derry duo Fergal Doherty and Brian Mullan, along with Freeman, while both county boards have been slapped with e10,000 fines. Doherty was sent off but also clashed with Dick Clerkin while Mullan appeared to knee Monaghan’s Conor McManus in the groin area. Freeman was punished after a clash with Kevin McGuckin during the match.

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney revealed that a decision on Freeman appealing was delayed due to the fact that he was featuring in club championship action last night.

“Tommy was playing in a big local derby championship game for Magheracloone against Carrickmacross last night. I wasn’t going to speak to him properly until after that, so he could concentrate on his club game.”

McEnaney also slammed the severity of the fine handed down to the Monaghan county board.

“It think it’s absolutely ridiculous. You look at the economic situation at the moment and the fact that it’s an amateur game. It looks to me like a professional fine in an amateur game. It’s a crazy scenario. But the fine is a question really for the county board to deal with.”

Meanwhile Tommy Walsh is Kerry’s main injury worry ahead of their 2009 championship bow in Sunday’s Munster semi-final against Cork. The Kerins O’Rahillys player went over on his ankle in a training match last Friday night, limping out of the action.

However, it is expected he will be fit to line out when boss Jack O’Connor names his starting fifteen later this week. Kieran Donaghy (foot), Anthony Maher (ankle), and Kieran O’Leary are unavailable.

Limerick dual stars Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan will both be available for Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final clash against Clare. The duo, who will be on duty for the Limerick senior hurlers the following week, trained with the Limerick football squad on Sunday night having earlier that day featured for Croom in the Limerick SHC.

Ballysteen defender Pa Ranahan remains the biggest doubt for boss Mickey Ned O’Sullivan due to a persistent hamstring problem. Ranahan passed a late fitness test to line out in the quarter-final win over Tipperary but was forced to withdraw in the second-half due to injury. Attacker Stephen Kelly is set to be absent again as he will not have the cast removed from his hand until next week.

Defender Conor Whelan is Clare’s biggest doubt for the game with tendonitis in his knee. The injury has kept him sidelined for the last six weeks as he missed the close of Clare’s NFL campaign and a decision will be made on his fitness later this week.

Cork hurling defender Shane O’Neill will be fit for the county’s All-Ireland qualifier first round clash on July 4th. The Bishopstown player was forced out of the action in the first-half during Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final, after a clash with Tipperary forward Michéal Webster. O’Neill received eight stitches to a head wound, but will have recovered in time for Cork’s next tie.

Mayo attacker Conor Mortimer will be fit for his county’s Connacht SFC semi-final against Roscommon on June 21st. The former All Star featured in a club game for Shrule-Glencorrib on Sunday, after being out for six weeks since he broke two bones in his hand against Tyrone in an NFL clash in April. Roscommon will have to play without wing-back David Keenan for that game after he dislocated his shoulder in their victory over Leitrim on Sunday. Keenan was forced out of the action in the first-half and has been ruled out for six weeks. Attacker Senan Kilbride is another doubt for Roscommon as he is on crutches after incurring an ankle injury against Leitrim.

Antrim are battling a major injury crisis ahead of their historic Leinster SHC opener against Dublin in Croke Park on Sunday. Brendan Herron is out with a broken bone in his foot, Kieran Kelly is suffering from a broken hand and Dan McKillop has a broken finger. Ciaran Herron and Johnny Campbell are both battling hamstring injuries while Paul Shiels is a long-term injury victim.