Cavan captain Forde given 12-week ban

Cavan captain Anthony Forde will miss his side’s Ulster championship first round clash with Down on May 7 after being banned for 12 weeks.

The Shannon Gaels clubman was sent off for kicking an opponent - an offence that normally carries a twelve-week punishment - during Cavan’s 1-15 to 2-09 win over Sligo at Markievicz Park on March 12.

The ban, which runs from the date of the game, was meted out by the GAA’s Central Disciplinary Committee, who met last night. Forde will also be available - should the Breffni men progress - for the June 4 Ulster SFC quarter-final against Donegal.

Notably, Mayo defender Aidan Higgins was handed a four-week suspension by the CDC after his sending off in the westerners’ 1-10 to 4-10 defeat by Dublin on March 25. The Charlestown clubman, only just on as a substitute, was given his marching orders for a striking offence on Coman Goggins.

Meath forward Brian Farrell will also miss his side’s NFL Division 1B tie with Derry this coming Sunday after earning himself a four-week ban. He was sent off for a second bookable offence - in an off-the-ball incident - during the second half of the Royals’ 0-11 to 4-12 hammering at the hands of Galway on March 26.

Four-week suspensions were also handed out to a number of footballers, including Liam Keenan and Declan O’Reilly (both Longford), Carlow’s Alan Kelly and Noel Doonan of Leitrim. Wexford’s Niall Murphy received a two-week ban.

Hurlers Gary Doran (Wicklow), Geoffrey Bermingham (Wicklow) and Philip Gilsenan (Westmeath) got four-week suspensions, whilst a two-week ban was given to Damien Roberts of Carlow.