Tyrone will attempt to have Conor McKenna’s red card overturned after the attacker was controversially dismissed by Joe McQuillan at the end of Saturday night’s Ulster SFC win over Fermanagh at Brewster Park.
The Red Hands saw off a determined challenge from the home side to eventually prevail 2-17 to 2-10 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Derry in O’Neills Healy Park on Sunday, May 1.
However, they face an anxious wait to find out of the former Australian Rules player will be available after the Eglish native picked up a straight red card in the closing stages of Saturday’s preliminary round win.
Read more: Fermanagh vs Tyrone: Player ratings from Saturday's Ulster SFC clash
Cavan whistler Joe McQuillan spoke to his linesmen and two of his umpires before brandishing a red card to McKenna and showing a yellow to Fermanagh pair Ryan Lyons and Brandon Horan following a melee at the end of normal time.
McKenna made a huge impact during an electric second-half performance - scoring 0-2 while his shot at goal was palmed in by Liam Rafferty after hitting the post.
Speaking to the media after the game, joint-manager Logan indicated that McKenna will seek a hearing in a bid to have his red card overturned.
“It’s fair to say I have been deeply involved in GAA disciplinary processes for a long number of years now, and from virtually every angle of it,” said Logan.
“Let me say it’s causing a lot of difficulty, this position in terms of contributing to a melee. . . I know Armagh are in pursuit of it at the moment.
“Joe McQuillan had a very difficult job out there, and did very well, but ultimately there are some times on a football field when a player isn’t contributing to a melee, and he’s simply looking to the safety of his own team-mate, or to the safety of others.
“And on this occasion, we firmly believe that Conor was looking to the safety of one of his team-mates, and that’s simply why he moved towards the matters.
“I’m going to leave it for everybody else to watch the video and work it out for themselves, but at some stage there must be justification on a football field to begin to assist and see to the safety of others.”
“Sometimes lines are crossed on football fields by players, and they regret them, and sometimes it’s not appropriate. But there are times when lines are crossed and people have to take action in the vicinity, and that’s where it’s at.”
Tyrone had four players suspended for contributing to a melee in their League defeat to Armagh. Michael McKernan, Padraig Hampsey, Peter Harte and Kieran McGeary all missed the win over Kildare in round three while Greg McCabe also picked up a one-match ban for the Orchard County.
Kieran McGeeney will also be without three players for next Sunday’s Ulster SFC clash following an incident at the end of their League meeting with Donegal in Letterkenny.
Aidan Nugent, Ciaran Mackin and Stefan Campbell were hit with one-game bans along with Donegal pair Neil McGee and Odhran McFadden-Ferry.
The Donegal due accepted their fate, but Armagh sought hearings for their players.
Rian O’Neill was subsequently slapped with a one-match ban, but it was thrown out on a technicality with the other bans upheld.
It remains unclear if Armagh are still pursuing other avenues in order to try and have their players freed in time for Sunday’s rematch in Ballybofey.
Logan wouldn’t be drawn on whether he’d spoken to Joe McQuillan after the game, but he added: “We deeply respect the players and officials, we deeply respect Joe McQuillan, who has refereed and has a lot of experience, but it’s well nigh impossible to expect humans to spot all that’s going on when there are a number of people in together.
“We had an earlier position in terms of contributing to a melee. There are a lot of things about that disciplinary process which I could talk about, but I’d rather focus on tonight.”
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