Loughrea 'dealing' with Cullen Killeen suspension

Loughrea's Shane O'Brien said there is a "slim chance" he could see action during Sunday's All-Ireland Club SHC final against Ballygunner

Cullen Killeen was sent off during injury time of Loughrea's All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final victory over Slaughtneil. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Shane O’Brien said uncertainty around whether Cullen Killeen will be available for Loughrea in their All-Ireland Club SHC final against Ballygunner on Sunday has not been a distraction for players.

Killeen was shown a straight red card by referee Johnny Murphy following an off the ball incident involving Brendan Rodgers during injury time of Loughrea’s semi-final victory over Slaughtneil.

The club contested the decision with the Central Hearings Committee but the one-game suspension was upheld. The Central Appeals Committee and Disputes Resolution Authority are further options for their case.

“The club are looking after that in the background,” said O’Brien.

“To be honest, we've heard very little about it. It's no distraction to us. We're not going to make an excuse of it. It's the club that are dealing with it.

“Cullen's a great hurler in his own right and he will be a miss if he is missing, but hopefully things work out well.” 

O’Brien, who has been injured since August and has missed Loughrea’s run to the final, said he has a “slim chance” of featuring on Sunday. His last championship game was the All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Na Fianna just over a year ago.

“I got a good few league games at the start of the year and a few challenge matches there over the summer,” he said.

“It was August time there, about two or three weeks before the championship, I believe when it happened.

“Picked up a bad hamstring injury, just bad enough tear in it but look, I'm back on the pitch, that's the main thing and I'm happy enough to be there now.” 

O’Brien was nearly 10 when he watched Loughrea lose the 2007 All-Ireland final by seven points to Ballyhale. In 2024, they won their first Galway title since the 2006 win, and last year won back-to-back titles for the first time.

“It made the Christmas a lot easier,” O’Brien about having an All-Ireland final on the horizon.

“There's been many years that we've been disappointed going into Christmas and made the Christmas long. We were training all through it and look we're working hard and we know the battle that's ahead of us on Sunday.”