Heneghan issued one-match ban for Foley incident

 CCCC could not establish stamping action.

BANNED: Cathal Heneghan of Roscommon. Pic: Stephen Marken, Sportsfile

Cathal Heneghan has been handed a proposed one-match ban for an incident involving Jason Foley in Sunday’s Roscommon-Kerry Division 1 game in Dr Hyde Park.

Heneghan, should he elect not to contest the penalty, will miss out on Sunday’s crucial final-round game against Derry in Celtic Park, which Roscommon need to win to keep their hopes of retaining their top-flight status alive.

Heneghan was not cited for stamping, which carries a recommended two-match suspension, as that action could not be determined by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC). Instead, they considered his contact with Foley’s right leg a lesser offence.

The CCCC issued official correspondence to Roscommon after referee Noel Mooney confirmed that he had not seen the incident and therefore did not deal with it at the time.

Second-half substitute Heneghan made contact with Kerry defender Foley’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 extreme 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 Mooney to call a halt to the game so that could Foley receive attention. The Ballydonoghue man eventually had to be helped off the field in the 60th minute and was replaced by Armin Heinrich.

Due to the severity of the injury, Foley is not expected to play any part in Kerry’s Munster senior football championship campaign. They face the winners of Cork and Limerick in a semi-final on Saturday, April 20.

Heneghan is free to face Mayo or New York in Roscommon’s Connacht semi-final in Dr Hyde Park on April 21.

Aside from beating Derry who are chasing a first Division 1 final appearance in 15 years, Roscommon require Kerry to beat Galway and trust score difference will work in their favour.