CLARE’S All-Ireland hopes have received a massive boost after Rory Hayes and Peter Duggan were successful in their hearings against proposed one match bans.
The duo contested the suspensions arising out of incidents in last weekend’s Munster final and are now in the clear for Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final encounter with Wexford at Thurles.
Galway forward Cianan Fahy has also had his proposed two game suspension thrown out by the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) and is now free to play in Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final tie with Cork at Semple Stadium.
All three are believed to have got off on a technicality.
Video footage appeared to show Fahy standing on Richie Reid’s knee in the Leinster final defeat by Kilkenny at Croke Park.
Television cameras caught Hayes coming down with his hurl from behind on Limerick forward Seamus Flanagan in the Munster final.
Duggan was involved in a couple of incidents, one with Limerick’s William O’Donoghue, while he also tangled with Sean Finn off the ball.
No action was taken at the time by Wicklow referee John Keenan, who took charge of the Munster final, while James Owens didn't take any action against Fahy.
This meant that the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) were free to pursue the players.
It is believed that the CCCC asked the two referees to review the incidents again.
Both incidents were highlighted briefly on the Sunday Game last weekend, which led to allegations of ‘trial by television’ from within Clare.
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