Tipp’s O’Meara hit with one-match ban

TIPPERARY have been rocked by the news that Brian O’Meara’s yellow card from last Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final has been upgraded to red.

Full-forward O’Meara, making his championship debut against Cork, was booked four minutes after half-time for a challenge on Cork corner back Shane O’Neill at the Blackrock End at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The incident was later highlighted on The Sunday Game and compared with Galway’s Andy Smith’s red-card offence against Wexford from the previous night’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship clash in Kilkenny.

After studying video footage of O’Meara’s tackle, Croke Park officials asked match referee Barry Kelly to review his original call.

Westmeath official Kelly concluded that he should have sent off the Kilruane McDonagh’s player for “behaving in a manner dangerous to an opponent”.

O’Meara’s yellow card was upgraded to a red card ‘Category 2’ offence, which carries with it a month’s suspension.

O’Meara, 20, has been ruled out of Tipperary’s first game in the qualifiers, which will be a preliminary round match on June 26 or a first round match proper on July 3.

The July 3 tie would fall outside the four-week ban but in this instance, the player must serve a one-match suspension.

The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) have directed referees to red card players for frontal charges.

But Tipperary argued that O’Meara did not execute a frontal charge on O’Neill and was merely late as the Cork player stooped to lift the ball.

Tipperary officials indicated last night, however, that they are unlikely to appeal against O’Meara’s suspension.