Date set for O'Mahony hearing

The hearing on the positive drugs test of Kerry footballer Aidan O'Mahony will take place in Dublin on Wednesday, December 17, it has been confirmed.

O'Mahony failed a routine test following the Kingdom's All-Ireland SFC final defeat to Tyrone in September. He was found to have an increased level of salbutamol in his system.

The Cork-based Garda was banned initially for the doping offence, but the GAA have since lifted that provisional suspension pending a full hearing of the case by the chair of the anti-doping committee.

O'Mahony has received plenty of support from members of the GAA fraternity and also the wider sporting community, including Munster hooker Frankie Sheahan who successfully had his two-year ban reduced to just three months after encountering a similar problem with salbutamol in 2003.

Kerry County Board chairman Jerome Conway is hopeful that Rathmore clubman O'Mahony will be able to clear his name.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he said: "We're looking forward to having everything thrashed out, and I have every confidence that Aidan O'Mahony will be cleared of any misdemeanour.

"Eamon O'Sullivan, the Kerry secretary, will be available to travel to Dublin to support his case. He has our full backing.

"We're just glad that it's finally getting sorted out. Most of all this has been unfair on Aidan, as it has been hanging over him for far too long.

"The whole thing proves that the GAA desperately need to look at this. They really need to treat it with a greater deal of privacy and urgency."

The temporary suspension placed on O'Mahony for the doping offence was lifted on November 21, so it has taken a full month for the hearing to be scheduled.