THE MAYO LGFA county board’s appeal against the leniency of the suspensions imposed on the Carnacon eight was rejected last night, meaning the players are available to play in Sunday’s Mayo Ladies SFC semi-final.

The LGFA Central Council heard the county board’s appeal in Tullamore on Tuesday evening, but the two-week suspensions were upheld.

The players were initially hit with four-week bans after their departure from the Mayo squad in the summer, which were ”quashed because of the procedural irregularities” after an appeal to the LGFA’s National Appeals Committee.

The LGFA’s National Appeals Committee instead imposed two-week suspensions on the players for bringing the Association into disrepute. It related to their actions after leaving the county panel, including the “tone of initial press statements after they withdrew from the Mayo team” which “led to innuendo against Mr (Peter) Leahy (the Mayo manager).”

The Carnacon eight subsequently appealed the two-week bans in an effort to clear their names, but The42 understands they withdrew their appeal earlier this week and accepted the charge of disrepute.

In the meantime, the Mayo county board lodged an appeal against the leniency of the two-week bans, which was rejected by Central Council last night.

The bans are due to expire at midnight on Thursday 11 October, which means the eight players are free to face Moy Davits in the last four clash at the weekend.

Carnacon played two group games over the weekend without their contingent of Cora Staunton, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, Marie Corbett, Amy Dowling, Doireann Hughes, Sadhbh Larkin and Saoirse Walsh.

They defeated Castlebar Mitchels on Friday night before losing to Knockmore on Sunday. It was enough to seal their passage into the semi-finals.

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