Ronan McCarthy ban to expire on Thursday; James Loughrey retires from Cork football duty

It was also confirmed that defender James Loughrey has retired from inter-county football

Cork selector Sean Hayes, right, and Cork manager Ronan McCarthy. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Cork football manager Ronan McCarthy will be on the sideline for the county’s opening game of the Allianz League this Saturday, with his selector Sean Hayes expressing concern that McCarthy was made to serve a longer suspension than Down boss Paddy Tally.

McCarthy and Tally were both handed 12-week suspensions in February for having organised collective gatherings the month previous, at a time when such panel meetings were outlawed by Croke Park.