Meath will cut their losses with regard to the appeal into Brian Farrell’s recent red card against Kildare.
The Royals man was sent off for ‘striking with the hand’ as his side surrendered their Leinster SFC title at the quarter-final stage. He was unhappy with the call and especially the four-week ban incurred, which he appealed, but the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) upheld the referee’s decision after it was challenged.
Meath will make no further effort to have their player released from the ban, despite his ranting on Twitter: "attended appeal on red card. It's not been overturned, 'as it is probable the offence occurred'... absolutely ragin!"
The unhappy Farrell will now miss Meath’s renewal of rivalries with Louth in the first round of the SFC qualifiers, with the Wee County looking for revenge after last year’s controversial Leinster SFC final defeat.
Meanwhile, Donegal's Michael Murphy has enjoyed a successful appeal against the red card he received in the Ulster SFC quarter-final against Cavan, while Monaghan’s Dick Clerkin has also been cleared after being given two yellow cards against Tyrone at the same stage of the competition.
Clerkin had not been facing any suspension, but still challenged the decision to clear his name of the charge of ‘behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent’.
"If he was sent off again on two yellows this summer that would also earn an automatic two-week suspension and, with the qualifier games coming in such quick succession, that is a risk you don't want to take with any player," Farney boss Eamonn McEneaney was quoted as saying by the Irish Independent.