Cleary faces ban after club fracas

Cork’s U21 football manager John Cleary has been hit with a proposed eight-week suspension following Castlehaven’s drawn SFC quarter-final against St Finbarrs last month.

Cleary, a member of the Castlehaven management team, was cited by referee Conor Lane in his report.

Both clubs were also recommended fines, with Castlehaven believed to have been handed a €1,000 punishment and St Finbarrs a lesser amount.

Cork’s Competitions Control Committee (CCC) made the recommendations following Lane’s account of a melee involving players and mentors in the dying minutes of the game in Bandon.

The county board have yet to receive any correspondence from either club after issuing them with their decisions.

Cork vice-chairman Ger Lane would only confirm the CCC took action after what were described as ugly scenes.

“There were some issues arising in relation to the game,” said Lane, “and on the basis of the referee’s report they have been dealt with by the CCC.”

Cleary, who led the county to an U21 All-Ireland title in 2009, has been linked with filling one of the vacant senior selector positions under manager Conor Counihan.

However, it remains to be seen exactly what Cleary will do now in light of his proposed ban.

The two-time All-Ireland-winning corner-forward has been in charge of the U21s for the last five seasons, winning three Munster titles as well as going all the way three years ago.

The fracas came after an incident involving Castlehaven’s Sean Dineen and St Finbarr’s midfielder Eoin Keane near the end of normal time.

St Finbarrs secured a draw when Jason Sexton pointed an injury-time 45 but the equalising score was followed by the fracas involving members from both sets of camps.

Castlehaven won the replay a week later and await the winners of this weekend’s quarter-final between Carbery Rangers and Bishopstown.