Diarmuid Barron free to play in Munster's crunch Lions showdown

The Reds hooker was penalised for a 'croc roll' on Dylan Tierney-Martin.

Munster's Brian Gleeson and Diarmuid Barron. Pic: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Diarmuid Barron has been cleared to play in Munster’s must-win URC final-round clash with the Lions at Thomond Park on Saturday night after his 20-minute red card was not upheld by an Independent Disciplinary Committee.

The Munster hooker had been shown a yellow card, subsequently upgraded to the 20-minute red after review in the 17th minute of last Saturday’s URC derby defeat at Connacht, for a “croc roll” on Dylan Tierney-Martin.

While Barron accepted he had committed an act of foul play the committee determined his actions did not merit a red card having found that the level of danger could not be clearly justified in order to upgrade the sanction from a yellow card.

As a result, Barron is free to play this weekend in a match Munster need to win to be sure of reaching the end of season play-offs. Munster head coach Clayton McMillan is set to reveal his team to face Lions on Thursday at 2pm.