Tipp ace may miss semi-final
O'Brien was sent off just before half-time along with Kildangan’s Paraic Kelly after an altercation involving the two players. Reports from North Tipperary suggest that O'Brien has been reported for ‘striking with the head’, which is a Category two offence and brings with it an eight-week suspension.
Should this be the case O'Brien will be free to line out with Tipperary against Dublin on Sunday week in the second All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final, but anything over that period and there will be an automatic crossover to inter-county, which would rule out the ball-winning target-man. Apart from that Tipperary have no injury worries ahead of the game.
Meawhile, Dublin attacker Ryan O’Dwyer has declared himself fit to play against his native county in Sunday week’s clash. O’Dwyer suffered mild concussion and a head wound in the closing stages of Dublin’s quarter-final win over Limerick but was back in training the following Tuesday evening.
The four stitches he picked up in Thurles made it 45 in total this year after an incident in the league followed by a serious ear injury in the Leinster semi-final against Galway.
“I think it’s more stupidity from me, to be honest,” smiled Cashel-born O’Dwyer about his injuries this year. “I think I said after the Limerick game that it’s all for show! Like, you come off with a bit of blood on you and people think you’ve played well.
“Look I’m the type of lad that when I’m on the field, I don’t care about myself. I just throw my head in. As far as I’m concerned, it’s for the greater good of the team.”
