Roscommon's Cathal Heneghan facing possible retrospective ban for Jason Foley incident

The question for the Central Competitions Control Committee is if the Rossies man intentionally stood on the Kerry star. 

Cathal Heneghan of Roscommon who is on the way back fomr a long injury layoff. File pic: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Roscommon face an anxious wait to learn if Cathal Heneghan is handed a retrospective suspension for an incident leading to Jason Foley’s injury-enforced departure from Sunday’s Division 1 game in Dr Hyde Park.

TV footage shows substitute Heneghan making contact with the Kerry defender’s right leg after beating him to the ball to score his side’s 54th minute goal. Following some medical treatment, Foley attempted to play on afterwards before breaking down in audible pain after landing on his right leg when challenging with Niall Daly for a Shane Ryan kick-out in the 56th minute.

Both Daly and Enda Smith signalled for referee Noel Mooney to call a halt to the game so that Foley could receive attention. The Ballydonoghue man eventually had to be helped off the field in the 60th minute and was replaced by Armin Heinrich.

On receipt of Mooney’s match report, the question for the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) is if the Roscommon man intentionally stood on Foley as he was lifting himself from the ground and running out the field.

Brian Carroll is chairman of the CCCC as well as Roscommon but in such an event would recuse himself and leave it to the GAA games administration department of Feargal McGill and Bernard Smith and the other CCCC members, John Costello, John Doyle, Oliver Galligan and Bearnadín McGauran to determine if there is a case to answer.

Speaking after the game, Kerry manager Jack O’Connor admitted the initial prognosis of Foley’s setback was worrying. “The only down out of today is losing Jason Foley. That looks a bad one now.” 

“To stamp on an opponent” is considered a Category IV offence, which carries a two-match suspension. Roscommon face Derry in their final round game in Celtic Park this Sunday when they need to win to try and avoid relegation. They face Mayo or New York in a Connacht quarter-final in Dr Hyde Park on April 21.

Before returning this year, Heneghan had been sidelined for 18 months after dislocating a kneecap playing for his club Michael Glaveys in July 2022. Manager Davy Burke said of him on Sunday: “Wasn’t it brilliant to see Cathal Heneghan back? All we’re trying to do is find him minutes, find Ultan (Harney) minutes, find Tadhg (O’Rourke) minutes, find Ronan Daly minutes. It’s hard though, week on week.” 

In January’s McKenna Cup final against Donegal, Derry midfielder Brendan Rogers was shown a red card for what referee Conor Curran appeared to illustrate was a stamping offence. Rogers was able to play against Kerry in the opening Division 1 round game against Kerry the following week as the punishment applied to the pre-season competition only.