Four-week ban for Mullane

AFTER all the furore surrounding the straight red card dismissal of All Star, John Mullane in De La Salle’s drawn Waterford SHC quarter final against Ballygunner, the Déise star has received the minimum four-week suspension.

Nine minutes into the game, Mullane was dismissed following his involvement in an incident with a Ballygunner defender. The speculation was that he could face a lengthy ban for his indiscretion, but Cappoquin referee Pat Casey has reported Mullane under a rule relating to “striking or attempting to strike with minimal force’’.

This carries a minimum four-week ban and that’s the term of suspension the county executive has now imposed on the player. What it all means is that Mullane’s suspension expires at midnight next Saturday which would have made him available for Sunday’s county final against Lismore – had not De La Salle surrendered their title to Ballygunner in the quarter final replay.