Down up ante in McCartan defence

Down GAA chiefs have upped the ante in their fight to clear James McCartan's name after the controversial incident that left Westmeath's Ken Larkin with a broken jaw.

Mourne officials will argue that McCartan is left handed and couldn't have struck Larkin with "his clenched right fist" during a challenge game last May, as has been alleged.

It is understood that McCartan's appeal will argue that he clashed accidentally with Larkin who, incidentally, started yesterday's challenge game against Dublin in Páidi Ó Sé's first game in charge.