DONEGAL'S Ulster quarter-final opponents could be without four of their top stars after the talismanic Rian O’Neill has been hit with a proposed one-match ban from the CCCC.
And that means that O’Neill and three others, the influential Aidan Nugent, Ciaran Mackin and Stefan Campbell could all be watching this crunch affair from the stands.
Donegal had two players cited, but opted not to appeal the proposed sentences handed down to Odhran McFadden-Ferry and Neil McGee from Gaoth Dobhair.
But Armagh decided to appeal on behalf of their players.
It was always going to be an exercise fraught with danger as it is understood that the CCCC had access to video evidence regarding Rian O’Neill.
Ex-Donegal star John Haran said the sanction against Armagh’s best player O’Neill was not unexpected but acknowledged that Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney was “between a rock and a hard place”.
Haran said: “I looked at a video of Rian O’Neill and Shane O’Donnell and it appears that Rian did make contact with Shane and that video has been shared all over the place. You can see it clearly, but I can see how Armagh might want to appeal the red cards for the three other lads as they had three key players potentially out while Donegal had only one starter out.
“And now it seems the appeal is coming back to haunt Armagh. Had they not appealed then Rian O’Neill would probably have been alright but the other three lads were gone”.
He added: “Donegal decided that they were going to take suspensions and maybe that was wise in hindsight as who knows what else might have turned up if they had appealed the sentences and if video evidence then come into play.
“On the other hand, you don’t want to see these types of melees at our games and the GAA is right to try and stamp them out.
“Paddy Neilan and his officials were watching all the incidents and then he made his referee’s report and due process followed."
Armagh will most likely be appealing all four proposed suspensions but if the first three are based on a referee’s report there would need to be pretty compelling circumstances to overturn his report.
And if Rian O’Neill is also ruled out then the scales will tip most definitely in Donegal’s favour.
“Rian would be a huge loss, he is their Michael Murphy in a way and if he is not playing, then Donegal’s chances will increase in a game of really fine margins and we all saw the impact he had when he came on in Letterkenny.
“Of course, if the four players are out Armagh will come with a strong siege mentality which can be excellent motivation and they have a pretty strong panel anyway.
“So yes it does give Donegal a definite advantage, but this matter may not be over just yet."
