Tag Archives: Cathal O’Connor

CLARE midfielder Cathal O’Connor is available to play in Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final game against Kerry at 2pm. O’Connor travelled to Dublin on Wednesday, accompanied by Clare selector David O’Brien and GAA secretary Pat Fitzgerald, where they attended an appeal hearing at Croke Park in relation to his red card in Saturday’s round four qualifier win over Roscommon in Salthill. The Coolmeen man was sent off shortly after half-time for what what referee Pádraig Hughes deemed ‘dangerous play’ in his match report. Clare received a copy of the match report on Tuesday and immediately filed an appeal, which was heard by the Central Competitions Control Committee on Wednesday night. The appeal was successful. This is a huge boost to Clare ahead of their biggest championship match in 24 years. They have not played championship football in Croke Park since the 1992 All-Ireland semi-final, when they were beaten by Dublin. Peter O’Connell

WHEN the Clare panel dispersed from Miltown, most either stayed in the county or headed for Limerick and Dublin. Cathal O’Connor was the one exception. The Edinburgh-based Coolmeen man set off for Shannon Airport, before landing in eastern Scotland on Sunday night. O’Connor had a steady game beside Gary Brennan in the Clare midfield. However, his final intervention proved quite decisive as he fouled Leitrim’s Paddy Maguire and was issued with a black card. To compound matters, Leitrim captain Emlyn Mulligan tapped over the free that levelled the game. “In fairness I probably did,” the civil engineer replied when asked if he felt he deserved the black card. “Something had to be done. It was going to be a score either way. They say that the black card is going to get rid of cynical fouling but at the end of the day, when push comes to shove, you’re going to do it if you have to do it,” he …