Tyrone footballer Tiernan McCann faces the possibility of missing the All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry after the GAA’s Central Competition Control Committee proposed an eight-week ban for an incident in Saturday’s quarter-final win against Monaghan that saw Darren Hughes shown a red card.
Hughes ruffled McCann’s hair toward the end of the match and the Tyrone reacted by dropping to the ground. Hughes was immediately sent off and McCann has been heavily criticised by GAA supporters and in the media for what appears to be a blatant dive.
The eight-week ban has reportedly been proposed under a rule concerning ‘misconduct discrediting the Association’.
But, as has been pointed out online, “to attempt to achieve an advantage by feigning a foul or injury” which is what McCann appeared to do is listed in GAA Rules as a cautionable offence with a yellow card the correct punishment.
There has been mixed reaction to the news, with many pleased to see the Association take action to stamp out diving.
But others argue against the proposed ban, questioning both the severity of the punishment and the timing.
Read: Darren Hughes has come up with the perfect response to that dive