O'Brien given all-clear for Louth

Defender John O'Brien is available to play for Louth in Saturday night's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier against Meath at Kingspan Breffni Park.

O'Brien, who was nominated for an All-Star award last year, spent a number of months in Australia over the winter period with team-mates Mick Fanning and Brian White also making the trip Down Under.

O'Brien and Fanning then travelled to Boston to spend some time Stateside before returning home. Fanning was cleared to play against Carlow recently, but O'Brien was ruled ineligible.

It emerged that he played illegally for the Donegal club club in Boston and he was duly hit with a suspension by the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee.

But following consultation between the CCCC and the Central Appeals Committee, O'Brien was reinstated at a meeting of Central Council last Saturday.

The Sean O'Mahony's clubman is likely to be named in the Louth team to face the Royals, with manager Peter Fitzpatrick admitting: "Having a player of John's calibre is obviously very welcome for us. He was one of our best players in 2010."

Saturday's game is a repeat of last year's Leinster final which Louth lost courtesy of a controversially-awarded goal from Meath forward Joe Sheridan.