Roy O’Donovan gets eight-week ban for headbutt

Corkman Roy O’Donovan has been suspended for eight weeks — the second-biggest A-League ban of all time — for his New Year’s Eve headbutt on Manny Muscat.

The Central Coast Mariners striker appeared before Football Federation Australia’s (FFA) independent disciplinary committee yesterday, pleading guilty with mitigating circumstances to a charge of violent off-the-ball conduct.

The committee accepted O’Donovan had a momentary lapse of judgement when retaliating after he was elbowed in the eye by Muscat. They also took into account O’Donovan’s good record.