Galway set to appeal Smith sending off, says McIntyre

GALWAY hurling bosses are to appeal Andy Smith’s sending-off against Wexford in a bid to have the Portumna star available for the Leinster semi-final against Offaly on Sunday fortnight.

Smith, who had earlier been booked, received a straight red card for a frontal challenge on Wexford’s Colm Farrell during Saturday evening’s 2-22 to 1-14 victory by Galway. Galway manager John McIntyre has confirmed they will be appealing the suspension once Galway Hurling Board receive official notice of it from Croke Park.

“We don’t want to lose Andy Smith for the Leinster semi-final, that is the bottom line, and we don’t feel we deserve to lose him. I’ll appeal anything if I feel that there will be something successful from it.

“All I ask is that the GAA legislators would look at the referee’s report, that John Sexton would look at the incidents again, before he sends in his report and do a second take on it.”

Smith is poised to receive a minimum four-week suspension and a one-game ban, which would rule him out of Galway’s return to Croke Park against Offaly.