Dublin are to challenge the one-match ban proposed for corner-back Philly McMahon.
The defender made contact with the eye area of Kerry captain Kieran Donaghy during last month’s All-Ireland final and, having reviewed television footage, the GAA’s Central Controls Committee last week charged McMahon under Rule 5.17 – “to behave in a way which is dangerous to an opponent”.
Dublin last night informed Croke Park that the Ballymun Kickhams man – who was this morning nominated for Player of the Year and an All Star – will take his case to the Central Hearings Committee.
While McMahon did not deny making contact with Donaghy’s eye in the closing stages of Dublin’s win over Kerry, he has insisted it was unintentional. The one-match he will miss, if banned, will be the Allianz League opener against the Kingdom.
Should he is cleared to play there is unlikely to be any bad blood in February, with Donaghy already stating he wished to draw a line under the issue.
The controversy has sullied an excellent end to an brilliant season for McMahon, whose barnstorming runs from defence (and successful shutting-down of Aidan O’Shea and Colm Cooper) were central to Dublin’s third All-Ireland in five years.
If successful McMahon will be the fourth high-profile player to have a proposed punishment over-turned in the last couple of months, after team-mate Diarmuid Connolly, Mayo’s Kevin Kevin, Tiernan McCann of Tyrone.
