Galway trio out for 48 weeks in Croker crackdown

THREE club players in Galway accused of assaulting a referee will have to serve bans of almost a year after GAA bosses in Croke Park threw out a 12-week suspension imposed locally.

The three players from the Mullagh club in Galway had initially been hit with a 48-week ban following an incident when referee Christy Helebert was assaulted at the end of a county hurling semi-final in October.

Disgraceful scenes erupted at the end of the game, which Loughrea won with a controversial late free.