Camross hurler, Darrell Dooley has had his two game suspension lifted, following the ugly scenes that marred the Laois county hurling final.
The incident – which saw Rathdowney-Errill’s Ross King require extensive dental work – was captured on video and circulated nationwide. At the time though, referee John O’Brien only saw fit to reprimand Dooley with a yellow card for his actions.
As first reported by Laois Today, officials handed Dooley a two game suspension. However, the Camross club sought a hearing and now the ban has been overturned.
The successful appeal means that Dooley will now be available to play in the club’s Leinster championship quarter final tie with newly crowned Wexford kings, Naomh Eanna. The match is due to take place in O’Moore Park next Sunday, and the winners will meet the Kilkenny champions a fortnight later.
Despite Camross achieving back-to-back titles, all anybody has been able to talk about since the final is the horrible scenes that occurred in the aftermath. Rathdowney-Errill manager John Delaney described the incident as a ‘disgrace’ and subsequent to this, images of Camross players appearing to mock King’s injuries also circulated on social media.
In a cruel twist of fate, news has also emerged that Anthony Stapleton, a referee and Rathdowney-Errill supporter on the day has been given a four week suspension for an incident after the game involving the match officials.
It beggars belief how one player caught on video can have a very light suspension overturned, whilst at the same time, the opposition have a someone receive a ban.
The crazy, crazy world of the GAA.
The cowardly belt that left Ross King with a split lip and with two teeth knocked back
