Cork’s Shane Barrett is expected to receive a proposed two-match ban for a repeat offence.
Barrett’s “contributing to a melee” offence falls under the same Category III infraction as his sending off against Clare in last year’s Munster SHC game in Ennis.
The Blarney man was shown a straight red card by Liam Gordon when he reacted high against David Reidy and missed the following championship game with Tipperary.
As Saturday’s offence occurred within 48 weeks of the previous one, Barrett’s penalty is likely to be doubled, which would rule him out of the trips to Kilkenny and Limerick on March 1 and 7 respectively.
A repeat infraction is defined in the GAA Official Guide as “a second or subsequent occurrence of any Misconduct at Games by Players Infraction in the same Category within a 48-week period”. The Clare game was just shy of 42 weeks ago.
Cork will have the option to contest his suspension to the Central Hearings Committee (CHC). The avenue will also be open to Tipperary should they query Jason Forde’s one-match ban for the same offence.
Arising from the 2017 Division 1 semi-final against Wexford, Forde served a one-match ban for contributing to a melee while then Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald was handed an eight-week suspension.
The Silvermines man’s initial penalty was two but later reduced by the CHC. As things stand, Forde is set to miss the visit of Limerick to Thurles on Saturday week.
Forde’s suspension prompted Tipperary club Newport to define a melee as one involving “a minimum of five persons”. However, its motion was defeated at Congress in 2018.
Last year, the Football Review Committee’s proposal to make contributing to a melee a black card offence was endorsed but it does not apply to hurling.
The offence was determined as a third or subsequent player in with the purpose of not removing a team-mate from an altercation. However, what constitutes a melee has yet to be defined.
Following receipt of Gordon’s referee’s report today, the Central Competitions Control Committee may also take further action relating to the melee that marred the conclusion of the first half in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.
Last year, Armagh and Donegal were both fined €7,500 for the ugly scenes at the end of their Ulster SFC final. The counties were punished for “disruptive conduct by players”.
No individual bans were recommended as the video evidence highlighting incidents were not from official broadcasters.
