Burke’s suspension cut to four weeks on appeal

The eight-week suspension to Galway hurler Darragh Burke has been cut in half, the Central Hearings Committee ruled yesterday.

Galway appealed the sentence following Burke’s dismissal during last month’s Walsh Cup semi-final defeat to Kilkenny.

The Central Hearings Committee decided yesterday to reduce the suspension to four weeks and while Burke is still ruled out of Sunday’s league opener at home to Dublin, he will be available for Galway’s four remaining spring fixtures.

The 21-year old received a straight red card following an incident with Kilkenny’s Eoin Larkin in the dying moments of the Walsh Cup tie, with the James Stephens forward stretchered from the field as a result of the collision.

The Galway team to face Dublin was to be announced last night, but the westerners were forced to call off training due to the inclement weather conditions. Tipperary’s session ahead of their clash with Waterford also suffered a similar fate.

Anthony Daly has been dealt a blow with news that midfielder Joey Boland is to miss Dublin’s opening two league fixtures through injury.

The 26-year old picked up an ankle injury during club action last Sunday and will miss the upcoming games against Galway and Clare respectively. Free-taker Paul Ryan has also emerged an injury concern.

Antrim defender Kevin O’Boyle will miss the rest of the county’s division four league campaign after suffering a broken ankle.

O’Boyle sustained the injury during the Saffrons’ defeat by Wicklow on Sunday.

Ulster boss Joe Kernan had included O’Boyle in his 28-man squad for Sunday’s inter-provincial semi-final against Leinster in Navan.

Kernan has included seven Tyrone players in his squad, with Darren McCurry and Conor Clarke among the newcomers.

ULSTER SQUAD: S Cavanagh, C Cavanagh, N Morgan, P Harte, C Clarke, M Donnelly, D McCurry (Tyrone); E Donnelly, R McCluskey, R Jones (Fermanagh); R Beggan, C Walshe, K Hughes, C McManus (Monaghan); K Lacey, M Murphy, M McHugh, E McGee, N McGee (Donegal); J Kielt, C McKaigue, SL McGoldrick (Derry); D Givney, E Keating, C Mackey, R Dunne (all Cavan); K McKernan, M Poland (Down).