Armagh’s prospects of defeating Galway on Sunday have been dealt a blow after Rian O’Neill was unsuccessful in trying to overturn his dismissal from the round two defeat to Tyrone earlier this month.
Referee Martin McNally consulted with his linesman before issuing a straight red to O’Neill following an off-the-ball clash with Tyrone defender Cormac Quinn.
Tyrone went on to win the game 0-13 to 0-11 and the result could have a big bearing on the final outcome of Group Two on Sunday.
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After reviewing the referee’s report, Armagh sought a personal hearing to object to O’Neill’s dismissal and the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) have upheld the decision and O'Neill will miss the clash with the Tribesmen in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday.
Armagh do have other avenues open to them and could still opt to take a case to the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) and, ultimately, the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA).
It was O’Neill's remarkable long-range free which brought last summer’s thrilling quarter-final tie between the counties to extra-time before Galway won on penalties.
Pádraic Joyce’s men also defeated the Orchard in their League tie in March thanks to a late Matthew Tierney goal at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.
In the Championship, Armagh bounced back from their Ulster Final penalty shootout loss to Derry to edge out Westmeath in Round One before suffering a two-point defeat to the Red Hands in Omagh.
The Orchard County will guarantee themselves a place in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals with a draw against Galway while a win gives them a chance of topping Group Two and progressing to a home quarter-final, but only if Westmeath also beat Tyrone.
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