Rebels to make case for defence

The case for freeing the 'Rebel Four' to face Waterford next Sunday week will be heard tonight in Croke Park.

Representatives from the Cork County Board travelled to GAA headquarters this afternoon along with the four players to put the Cork case to the Central Hearings Committee (CHC).

Diarmuid O’Sullivan, John Gardiner, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Donal Óg Cusack are facing one-month and one-match suspensions after being cited by the Competitions Control Committee (CCC) following the pre-match fracas in Thurles.

Cork PRO Bob Ryan said this morning that the County Board would be doing their best for the players.

Rumours circulated in recent days that the Cork County Board had been asked to identify a fifth Cork defender for his part in the tussle with Clare, which video evidence could not do, but that is believed to be mere speculation.

The Clare County Board has yet to decide whether they will appeal the bans received by Barry Nugent, Colin Lynch, Alan Markham and Andrew Quinn, as they are not due to play again until June 30.

Should the 'Rebel Four' fail to have their bans overturned by the CHC tonight, they have the option of taking the case to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) in a final bid to make the Waterford game.

The Cork County Board will also appeal the fine they received for the team’s involvement in the incident before the Munster opener.

Chairman Mick Dolan said the board are in the dark about their chances to successfully appealing the four bans.

“It’s the right of every person to defend themselves. How it works out after that I don’t know. Naturally we have to defend our people,” he explained.

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.