Down boss Paddy Tally has suspension reduced to eight weeks

Down manager Paddy Tally has had his suspension reduced from 12 weeks to eight.

It comes following a sitting of the Central Hearings Committee last night after Tally chose to contest the proposed three-month ban that was handed out after a gathering of the Down footballers on the grounds of Abbey CBS last month, at a time when collective training was forbidden by the GAA.

Although Down protested their innocence, the GAA’s Management Committee slapped Tally with a charge of “misconduct considered to have discredited the association” under rule 7.2 of the GAA’s Official Guide.

However, while the CHC found that the charge was proven, it didn’t run with the proposed 12-week ban and instead imposed an eight-week suspension, the minimum for such an offence.

The ban kicks in from the date of the hearing, February 9, though with little or no inter-county activity now expected to take place between now and April 6, when it elapses, the suspension is set to have minimal impact on Tally’s involvement with Down.

The Tyrone native still has the option of taking his case to the Central Hearings Committee.

Cork senior football boss Ronan McCarthy has been hit with a similar charge and his hearing is expected to take place next week.