Donnelly ban cut to six weeks
Cliftonville striker sees sanction reduced after appeal but club dismiss decision as "meaningless"
Rory Donnelly has had his ban reduced after appeal.
The Cliftonville striker had been handed an initial three-month suspension following a post on social media.
But last night in a statement, the IFA said that sanction had now been cut to six weeks.
“The Irish Football Association’s Appeal Board this evening considered an appeal by Rory Donnelly (Cliftonville FC) against the sanction imposed by the IFA Disciplinary Committee in the matter of the match Linfield v Cliftonville on 28 April 2018,” it said.
“The board concluded that the mitigating actions of Cliftonville FC on the day in question were such that the original sanction should be reduced.
“Therefore the sanction has been reduced to a six-week suspension.”
In response, Cliftonville branded the decision “a meaningless gesture”.
A statement on the club website said: “Following a three hour appeal hearing this evening, the Irish Football Association Appeals Committee agreed with Cliftonville Football Club’s submission that the punishment recently imposed by the IFA Disciplinary Committee on Rory Donnelly was excessive.”
However, it went on to dismiss the decision as “farcical” because it said it only removed “the suspended part of the suspension originally issued to the player.”